AB Type
by Alcyone23
Summary: The Greatest Story Ever Told, by the Greatest Historian of the World. Aro has lived, figuratively speaking, for three thousand years. Have you ever wondered what he has seen and done? -PENULTIMATE CHAPTER UP-
1. AB Type, Loves

_Boom, boom, ain't it great to be crazy?  
Boom, boom, ain't it great to be crazy? __  
Giddy and foolish all day long, __  
Boom, Boom, ain't it great to be crazy?_

* * *

AB Type

Aro Deofilion

* * *

Good evening. 

Or morning or afternoon depending on what part of the world you're in. I see you are waiting anxiously. Interested, are we? Of course, who wouldn't be? The greatest story ever told, told by the greatest historian of them all. A story of contrasts, opposites, an antithesis. If I may, I'll use blood as an example.

AB type.

Opposite yet fully fused to form a whole.

I love AB type blood. Reminds me oddly of, well, me. I am a study of contrasts. Wouldn't it be ironic if I had been AB type while human? Even if I could remember my human years, I would not have known. These labels appeared very recently. At least to me it was very recently. To you it must feel like eons.

Or perhaps I am exaggerating. I have been so long disconnected from the brevity of human life; I have forgotten how different the concepts of time must be.

Ah, well.

Well, after you live three thousand years on this planet I dare you to come to me and tell me that the minutes and hours don't just blur together. Not that you would dare, however. What is it that the other vampires say about us? Oh, right. "You don't irritate the Volturi. Not unless you want to die."

Frankly, I think that a far too morbid picture of us. As if we had no sense of humor! Well, Marcus certainly doesn't and I worry about Caius at times. Adelina is the same as her mate only more self-centered and Anna can grow depressed very quickly but that's not to say we don't find certain…_events_ comical.

Not to mention, it's slander. First of all, only the powerful vampires (or the ones connected with the powerful vampires) are allowed an audience with us. We may be immortal but eternity doesn't have enough time to listen to all of the vampire world's petty squabbles. So the chances that a random vampire will simply show up before us challenging us to a staring contest and then declare that he's not wearing underwear are basically nil.

Second, the title of "Volturi" only applies to Caius, Marcus, Adelina, Anna and I. And if someone were to break in and try to commit a stupidity (although breaking in is stupidity itself), the guard are more than capable of escorting the miscreants elsewhere. The guard likes to have fun. Jane especially loves to play.

Such a sweet child.

See? We're not evil incarnate or unnecessarily cruel. All right so we're sadists at times. Who isn't? After living three thousand years you find few things surprising ergo few things are entertaining. In fact, the unbearable tedium grows until one must _manufacture_ one's entertainment. And let me tell you, stones are not much fun to manipulate. No, to truly play, one must manipulate objects capable of willful movement and proper thoughts. By proper, no, I do not mean _I'm hungry. He/she looks good. Let's hunt him/her._ No, the toy must be capable of rational, intelligent thought.

Above all, your possible plaything must be able to experience passionate emotions.

_Then_, you get truly astounding reactions, of the kind that no author on the world has been able to put into words. Believe me, I've read most of everything worth the title of literature.

For example, let's take a pair of lovers. They swear to love each other for eternity, kiss, caress, the whole shebang. Then, he notices that she seems to be too familiar with her friend(s). Or she sees how others fawn over him and how he seems to enjoy it.

Or both.

Those first stirrings of love metamorphose into something described by humans as more sinister. Envy.

Once again, I feel I must interject. This seems to me to be a case of—oh, what is that saying—the pot calling the kettle 'black'. After all, what makes envy any more evil than love? Ask anyone who's recently had their heart ripped out of their chest (metaphorically speaking) and they won't be singing love's praises. Ask the wife beaten almost to death by a husband whose actions were guided by love. As he will tell you, he loved her. Or the mother who killed herself from the pain of love after she lost her children. If I may be allowed to make an understatement, love hurts. So why is love considered good?

But I digress.

What was I telling you? Oh, yes, the lovers. So now one or both live under the impression that their life until that point was a lie and that the other is not quite what he/she appears.

I've seen this scenario a few times. I always make bets with myself to try and guess what Tristan and Isolde or Romeo and Juliet or Sybil and Dorian or whatever lovers I'm currently comparing them to will do. Sometimes, I infer correctly; others, I do not. It's these others that are the interesting ones. It's always refreshing to see a Sybil who refuses to commit suicide after being abandoned and instead hunts down Dorian to repay the pain he caused her.

Exponentially.

And so lovers are reduced to killers, literally and metaphorically this time. From praising life to taking life. From comforting to hurting. An antithesis.

Pleasure derived from woe.

A paradoxical antithesis.

AB type sweetheart.

A study of contrasts, as I said before. If anything, we vampires are the very essence of contrasts in living form.

Of course, I use the word 'living' loosely.

In fact, the very idea of vampires begs a redefining of the word 'living'. What does define life? A beating heart, functioning brain? The ability to move, to react to impulses? Bright eyes that in a moment can darken permanently?

Perhaps it is the ability to caress with words at one point and maim with those same words later. Perhaps it is the movement that drives one to grasp another's hand because you know how they feel. Perhaps it is the existence of a soul.

But that would necessitate a definition of the word soul and I do not feel like getting into that now. Perhaps later, after all, I _do_ have eternity.

That I don't necessarily have eternity you say? Who will take my life from me, I ask you? Who is strong enough to challenge Aro Deofilion, one of the Volturi? You think that I can be fought back with a little water and a wooden figurine? That I will die from a branch thrown to my chest? You believe that with the threat of a little sunlight I will roll over into a coffin and whimper in fear?

That is rich. Do excuse me. I did not mean to laugh; the thought simply struck me as utterly hilarious.

Because I am Aro and you truly don't want to hear me roar.

Ask the others who've heard it directed at them before.

Oh, you can't.

They're dead.

Not even my mate, who loves mocking others, dares infuriate me.

And we are talking about a woman who tried to kill Caius' mate in front of him. To be fair, Anna _was_ provoked but you've got to admire a vampire with the audacity (or stupidity) to attack a Volturi's mate before said Volturi…and then have the diplomatic skills necessary to walk away later without a scratch.

Of course, she eventually had to use her lovely power in order to survive but that's beside the point.

The point is that, just like Anna, I appear jolly and enthusiastic. Out of the three of my brothers, however, I have always been the most sadistic. It's probably why Jane is so taken to me.

You don't honestly believe we got where we are by handing out lollipops do you?

Then, how did we reach power? Oh, you wouldn't be interested in _that_ old story. The wars, the betrayals, the deaths…you read and see enough of those in your books and films.

Then again, I doubt you've ever heard of a story told by a vampire, a real vampire, one who has been alive for over three millennia.

Do forgive me for the liberal use of the word 'alive'. However, there's no other word I can use that fits the context. You'll just have to bear with me I'm afraid.

…You truly do want to know about my life, don't you? This is…surprising. I do so love surprises. Hmm, where would I begin? You see, no one has ever asked me tell my life story before. I've had other vampires ask me where I was born and how I first learned about my power, of course. But no one has ever asked me about my _life_, what I've seen, what I've heard, what I've learned. And with my power and perfect vampire memory, that's a lot. It will be a long story. That much I can assure you. Whether it's entertaining or life-changing or downright dull, however, will depend on the listener.

I'm excited now. A chance to reveal exactly who I am and teach others exactly what vampirism is. It's not as terrible as some paint it to be. "Soulless demons" indeed. Supposedly we lack a soul; it's why we have no reflection.

Did you hear that? You're not supposed to exist.

No, this is the first time I speak to my reflection. Or, rather, not my reflection, since it is not supposed to exist.

Have I lost you yet? Good. Caius despises this particular _quirk_ of mine. Which of course just makes me speak more nonsense in order to get a rise out of him. Even Anna, the most tolerant (with me at least), threw a settee at me once.

Everybody's a critic.

Even you want to throw a settee at me. Well, good luck. My brothers and I have been in power for two and half thousand years and in that time no has been even close to taking our power from us. In fact, no vampire dares cross us now.

Over-rated? Weaklings? Wait…did you just say we have onion-skin?

That's a new one. Don't tell Adelina that or you will learn first-hand how cruel a Volturi can be.

Anyway, despite our "onion-skin", we're hardly pushovers.

Don't believe me?

Very well then. I'll tell you my story and let you come to your own conclusions.

I feel I have to warn you, there are many things that may not sit so well with you and those like you. After all, we do feed on humans. So long as you have no problem, I shall continue.

So sit down, make yourself comfortable. Listen to a story; the greatest story ever told, told by the greatest historian of them all. A story of contrasts, opposites, an antithesis. If I may be granted poetic license, I'll use blood as an example, once again.

AB type, loves.

AB type.


	2. Beginning

_Cold and raw the north wind doth blow  
Bleak in the morning early,  
All the hills are covered with snow,  
And winters now come fairly. _

* * *

I suppose I should start where most stories do. The beginning. But in my case, that is complicated. Do I speak of my human life? Or does my true beginning commence after I was turned?

Decisions, decisions.

I'll start with the few memories of my time as a human because, well, they are _few_ memories.

I was born in Ticinum in the year 1000 BC. A Millennium baby. My very birth seemed to dictate I would become great.

Of course, my family never learned just how great I would become.

My mother died during childbirth and I was raised solely by my father. I have no memory of him even uttering my mother's name but I suppose he _did_ love her. He never remarried; it was very strange at the time particularly since he was still fairly young and had an infant to look after. He never cared for what people said, though, something I greatly admired him for. Instead, he would subtly manipulate anyone who thought differently from until they agreed with his views. These people never seemed to realize just how deeply under my father's influence they were, which made him an incredibly skilled, incredibly shrewd politician.

From the time I was young, my father tried to teach me this ability. Three thousand years later, I look back on these lessons fondly, one of the few things of my human life I truly remember.

"Aro," he would say my name quietly. I don't remember him ever raising his voice. He was the type of man who could control a crowd just with his voice. While still human, I learned to emulate this trait of his. As a vampire, this voice has become one of the many weapons I posses, an irreplaceable tool in many a delicate situation.

"Aro," he repeated. When he said my name twice, I knew I had to pay him the utmost attention. "Is there such a thing as a justified murder?"

I paused. Just that morning, a traitor had been publicly executed. I had observed it from the other side of the plaza. I watched how the man was brought to the square, chained, and the crowd roared in anger. He could not have been much older than my father but was just as fit. He was trembling but stood wit his back erect and his head held high. His look was calm and did not waver, even when he was struck to the floor. The executioner slit his throat and then began walking on his chest. With every scarlet spout, the crowd's delighted screams escalated.

I ran from my father's side and around the side of the building where I heaved everything I had in my stomach. Now, my father was asking me about justifiable deaths. I though about the man, a traitor, and despite my revulsion, I knew what my answer was.

"Yes, if the one killed was dangerous, like the traitor, then his death is justified."

"And who justifies this traitor's death?"

"A just man."

"Ah, a just man. Metrophanes says justice is to benefit one's friends and harm one's enemies. So a just man would be one who aids his friends and harms his enemies. Correct?"

"Yes, Father."

"Now, let's say this 'just man' was good friends with the traitor. Would he be able to find a justification in the traitor's death?"

"No, Father."

"Or perhaps the just man grew angry with his wife and hurt her and the traitor betrayed him by telling another of what the just man had done to his wife. Would the traitor's death be justified?"

"No, Father," I shook my head slowly.

He turned and his grey eyes, a mirror of my own, bored into me. His voice grew lower until it dropped just above a whisper. "And what if the traitor stole state secrets in order to save his dying kingdom? Could a just man, a truly just man, justify his murder then?"

"No, Father," I whispered.

He sank to one knee before me. His hands rested on my shoulders, a warm, familiar weight. "Is any murder truly justified?"

I did not speak.

"Qui tacet consentire," my father chastised me. _Silence gives consent_. "Never fall silent during a debate, any type of debate. Always argue your point but ensure you have the evidence to back it. Silence signals defeat and words can be the most effective weapons you ever have. Learn to use them."

Then, he stood and began to walk away. I followed behind him. I could have caught up and walked alongside him but I was content to follow his footsteps, remain safely ensconced in the long-reaching shadow he threw.

As I grew older, my father chased me out of his shadow. He warned me about the danger of following after another blindly and told me I had never been meant to follow but to lead. I took his words to heart and, from then, did everything I could do in order to rise through the ranks.

Pavia at the time was overrun by Lombard kings. My father had honed his rhetoric into an art form and was able to insert himself into the new royal court easily. He soon became the king's greatest confidante and our wealth and stature grew.

My lessons had been over for a long time. I was thrown into a world where the smallest word could become a death sentence or a saving grace. I would survive depending on how good a student I had been. Luckily, the king greatly admired my father and predisposed to like his son. We both shared the same sense of dark humor and I watched as my own name grew in importance and not because I was my father's son. He never said anything to me but I knew he was proud.

When I was twenty I married Chiara Leggièri, a daughter of a prominent family. She was a soft-spoken girl of sixteen with pale blonde hair and even paler blue eyes.

She had no sense of humor.

She once asked me, "Did you see the man tarred today?"

"Yes, frightening how his appearance changed for the worst," I replied.

She blinked. "Well, he _was_ tarred. It's hardly a trip to the baths."

I bit back a retort. It would not do to have her angry at me. She would never let me live peacefully then.

She stood awkwardly, her huge stomach hindering her path.

"I think I shall retire for tonight," she announced. I knew this to be my cue to take her arm and escort her to our bedroom. She had already lost two babies and was terrified for this one. Until the birth, I knew I would have to be the very epitome of patience or risk having her try and make my life a hell for making her "lose" our child.

The things I do for peace.

Our son, Leandro, was born a month later. He had Chiara's pale skin and blue eyes but my black hair. Chiara refused to have a wet nurse; instead, she took care of him herself, rarely letting him from her grasp. Even I was caught up. Leandro was a beautiful child and inconceivably intelligent. He was calling us "Mama" and "Papa" by the time he was four months old and was walking shortly after the seventh month. Everyone commented on how quickly he learned, how strange and gifted our son was.

I began taking him everywhere I went, teaching him all I could. He absorbed everything. After he turned three, my father began teaching him the same lessons in oratory he had instilled in me. After a few years, Leandro could debate successfully with anyone about almost any subject.

Two months before Leandro turned ten, my father died. An elderly servant mistook an herb with a poisonous plant.

I never believed this story. During my father's long political career, he made many enemies. Men he had proved wrong, men envious of his success, men he had defeated in the scramble for power. It could have been any of them, I thought. I grew more careful. I had learned with my father's death the danger of witnesses. I would not repeat the mistake. I kept my dealings secret and trusted no one.

"This is ridiculous, Aro!" Chiara yelled. I had sent back our food for a third time, not liking the strange stickiness of some cinnamon rolls. "Your father's death was an accident. A terrible accident, yes, but still an _accident_."

Leandro and Milena looked up suddenly when they heard their mother scream. It was strange to hear Chiara raise her voice for anything. Now, they watched her, silent and eyes wide.

"Calm down, Chiara," I said. My voice remained steady and soft but I knew it would carry. "Your overreactions are startling the children."

Chiara narrowed her eyes to blue slits. "My overreactions are startling the children? What of their father who sees a murder attempt everywhere he looks?"

Leandro dropped his gaze to the table and Milena writhed uncomfortably in her chair.

"I am trying to keep my family safe," I say calmly. "If there is something strange with the food then we won't eat it. It's not paranoia, Chiara; I'm simply being careful."

"You can never lose, can you?" Chiara shook her head. "In any argument, you're sane and you're logical while I'm hysterical and irrational. I can't argue with you, Aro. I'll just lose and you'll go ahead and do whatever you want as you always have." Chiara opened her mouth as if to say something else but closed it. She stood nobly and walked away. The table was silent for a few long moments.

"Papa?" Milena broke the silence. Her pale grey eyes looked to me from under her dark curls.

"Yes, Milena," I say shortly. I did not mean to snap at my daughter but Chiara had left me tense and irate.

"Papa, I'm hungry."

Her words caught me completely off-guard. I looked at her and upon catching sight of her solemn face I could not help myself. I laughed. She looked startled before she began giggling as well. Her giggles were contagious and Leandro started chuckling into the table.

"All right," I said after I regained control. "Let's find something, shall we?"

An hour later, I walked to the bedroom Chiara and I shared. I carried a tray with the food Leandro, Milena, and I had managed to make. The kitchen was destroyed but I had not seen my children laugh so much in a long time.

"I brought you something to eat," I say to the figure laying on the bed, back turned to me. "I know you're not asleep, Chiara, so you can stop pretending."

There was no movement.

"All right," I said, untroubled. I set the tray on the floor, near the bed. "I'm leaving your food here on the floor. When you want to, you can eat it."

I turned to undress when a pale hand shot from the darkness to latch on to my wrist. Tears had carved a path down Chiara's cheeks and her usually blue eyes were bloodshot.

"Forgive me, Aro," she whispered. "I did not mean to snap. I'm just so anxious, what with the pregnancy and your father's death…" she trailed off.

"It's all right, Chiara," I said. My voice softened to a near croon. It was the voice I used to ease many a political situation, calm the men's fears. "I understand." I allowed my hand to rest on her shoulder; the other cupped her cheek.

"Something terrible is going to happen," she said, eyes going wide with fright. "I've been feeling it coming closer."

"Nothing is going to happen, Chiara. It's just the pregnancy that has you like this. You know how you were with Leandro and Milena. Sleep. You'll feel better."

Chiara nodded and lay down. She was asleep within minutes. I was left to undress and lay beside her, staring at the ceiling. It was not the first time that Chiara predicted something but if there were no danger it would be the first time she was wrong.

Questions taunted me all that night.

A week later, Chiara miscarried a boy. Her feelings of danger did not abate, however.

Two months after the baby was buried, a festival was held in honor of the king. As one of his Councilors, my family and I received gifts. We could not go out to celebrate, however, because Leandro had taken ill. He was coughing and sneezing all the time and could not sleep from the fevers. Among the gifts I had received I found a bottle of strong wine. The doctor told us to give Leandro some in order help ease his discomfort. Under the wine's influence, he relaxed and was able to sleep. The doctor also told us to take some ourselves as it would help settle us.

I collapsed into my bed, exhausted from three days of vigil. Chiara slept in Leandro's room; whenever one of the children took ill, she never left their side until she was sure they were healthy and strong again.

A scream reverberated through the house. I jumped to my feet and ran to Leandro's room where Chiara continued screaming. I froze at the door.

Chiara held Leandro tightly. His skin had turned a sickly pallid green and his eyes had rolled into his head. He was drenched in sweat and his body had seized up; his movements were jerky and sporadic, his hands constantly twitching.

"Get the doctor!" I screamed to one of the servants.

"Papa, why is mama screaming?" Milena called. She stood in the middle of the hall, trembling. She moved to see around me and into the room but I grabbed her and pushed her away.

"Sorry, Milenita, but you have to go back to your room."

"No, I want to stay with you," she said stubbornly.

"Milena, go to your room."

She took a step back but stayed. "No."

With an oath, I grabbed her and shoved her into a slave's hands. "Take her to her room and keep her there." The slave nodded nervously and hurried away, Milena's screams trailing behind them.

"Leandro, please, listen to me. Breathe, love, you'll be alright. You just have to relax, breathe with me," Chiara begged inside the room. I stepped toward them.

Leandro was fading. The once articulate child had been reduced to incoherent whimpers. Chiara held him to her, singing softly. Soon, his shudders ceased and he relaxed completely. Chiara kissed his brow.

"You're fine, see? You're safe. You're safe, love."

"Chiara," I began. She smiled up at me.

"He's fine. Where is the doctor? I need him to make sure he's completely safe."

I looked at the boy in my wife's arms. He was pale, his skin still covered in a fine sheen of sweat. His features were slack and his chest no longer moved. I knelt before them and placed my hand on his chest.

There was no heartbeat.

"Chiara, he's dead." My voice had lowered to a whisper, dead of emotion.

"What?" she asked.

"He's gone."

"No, he isn't. He's just sleeping because he's tired. He's not dead, Aro. Leandro wouldn't die."

"Chiara, he's dead."

"Stop lying! He's not dead, he's not," she snarled at me. Then, she turned to the child in her arms. "Wake up, Leandro so your father can stop spouting nonsense. Leandro. Leandro. Leandro, wake up. Wake up! Leandro!" She began shaking him, screaming at him to wake up. I grasped her hands and pulled them away. With one hand I took the corpse from her lap and laid it on the bed. I grabbed her and pulled her away.

"Let me go! Let me go! He's my son; I need to get to my son! Leandro, Leandro!" Chiara collapsed into hysterics and I had to forcibly haul her away.

The doctor arrived in time to tell us what killed Leandro.

"Poison," he said softly. "He was poisoned. Here, Aro, have some wine. It'll help you relax." The doctor signaled for some wine and a slave brought in the bottle and two cups. The doctor poured some out for both of us and handed me a cup. He continued, "Has he eaten anything strange, that you know?"

"No," I said. Chiara slept with Milena. An old slave had made a strong tonic for her to sleep. "He's eaten everything we have and we're fine."

"Has he been anywhere different he usually wouldn't be at?"

"No, he did—" I stopped short. Leandro had eaten, or rather drunk, something he usually didn't. The wine. The wine that was now inches from my lips. The wine that the doctor, despite pouring a cup for himself, had not touched.

Fury licked my insides. I remembered one of my father's slaves had taken ill two days before he died. The doctor had gone to his house. Was he also responsible for my father's death?

The doctor misunderstood my silence. "I understand how terrible this must be for you but you've got to try to remember so that we can find the object and destroy it before anyone else is poisoned."

"Of course," I agreed. I pretended to take a sip of the wine. "Why don't you have some wine? It's good and to does help ease you."

"Thank you but no. I'm not feeling thirsty."

"Then why did you pour a cup for yourself?"

He looked up at my words and blanched. I can imagine what he saw in my face: hatred twisting my features into something indescribable and utterly terrifying. It is how Anna would describe my face a few thousand years later, when she was attacked and when Jane and Alec were burned at the stake.

I did not give the doctor a chance to speak. I too his cup and raised it to his mouth. "Take it. It will help settle you," I mocked him.

He stood quickly and turned to run to the door but I was faster. I grabbed him by his hair and forced the cup of wine into his mouth. A blow to the neck made him choke and, when he inhaled, he swallowed the wine. I stood back and kept him from trying to vomit. From the large amount of poison I forced him to ingest, he reacted to the wine sooner than had Leandro. He grabbed his neck as he began choking. His eyes had dilated until the pupil was almost lost in a sea of black as sheen of perspiration broke over his skin. His rolled into the back of his head and he collapsed with the same agonized, jerky shudders that had attacked Leandro.

As I looked at his convulsing body, a strange feeling crept within me. It took me a while to realize it was glee. With a delighted joy that children feel when they receive a present, I watched the doctor writhe on the floor, choking on his own fluids. Within seconds, he was dead.

In a bag tied to his waist I found the extract of belladonna he'd used as poison and several foreign coins. I recognized the coins. They came from the country that the king's closest adviser came from. A man who had succeeded my father's job after his death. Piero Acerbi.

"He did it, then?"

I turned at Chiara's voice. I did not know she had awoken. She was staring at the body with hatred.

"No." She looked to me in surprise at my negation. "He was paid. Piero Acerbi paid him." As proof, I held up one of the large gold coins.

"The man who has you father's job? Who tried to convince the king to remove you from the Council?"

"Yes," I replied. Chiara stepped closer and took the coin from my hand. She stared at it for a long time. When she spoke again, her voice was unrecognizable from the hatred now coloring it.

"Kill him," she snarled. "Kill him for killing my son. Make him suffer, Aro." She took something from her robe and set it in my hands, a long dagger its hilt covered in jewels.

"If I'm not back in an hour, raise the alarm." Chiara nodded. I kissed her briefly then grabbed my cloak and stepped out of my home into the dark streets.

It took several minutes of following the winding roads to reach Piero's house. His house was a magnificent sprawling building. Once there, a servant answered.

"I come to see your master. Tell him Aro Visconti requests an audience."

"Master Acerbi does not take visitors at this hour," the servant replied. I raised my hand so that the gold coin in it caught the torchlight and glinted.

"I think he would really want to meet with me," I said.

The servant quickly ushered me and offered me a seat while he went to get his master.

I could not sit still. Instead, I stood and restrained myself from pacing. The servant soon came back and motioned for me to follow him. He led me to a room in the back of the house and opened the house for me. The moment I stepped through, the door shut. I couldn't help a feeling of entrapment that swept over me.

"Ah, Aro Visconti, the one all of Ticinum calls 'Deofilion'," Piero Acerbi stood with his back to the door wearing robes that looked to be made of raw silk. His voice had a slight musical lilt to it. "To what do I owe this honor?"

"I think you know to what. I come here to repay the favor you did me. Favors actually," I smiled. I forced myself to remain calm.

"I'm afraid I do not know. Could you enlighten me?" Underneath the kind tone was a mocking inflection that I did not miss. My smile remained firmly in place but my hatred spread like the poison that had killed Leandro.

"I come to thank you for killing my father and my son."

"Your father and son? I knew about Gian's death, of course, but whatever happened to your son?"

"He was poisoned, as was my father because you needed him gone. Since my father had such good relations with the king he could stop the king from doing what you said. But you don't like to have someone get in the way of your plans, do you? No, so you called a friend of yours, dressed him as a doctor, and had him feed my father poison. Perhaps the slave's illness was also your making. Then, after my father's dead, you take his job and think you're safe. But my father taught me very well and suddenly you had another who was influencing the king away from you. You'd killed someone once before. Perhaps his son would fall for the same ruse. Except your aid made a mistake. He fed the poisoned wine to my son not me. Don't worry about him; he sends me with a message: _the wine was delicious_."

"And you come here to tell me to try the wine?" Piero's head moved slightly toward me. I said nothing. "I don't drink wine," he continued. "I feed on something…richer."

I frowned slightly in confusion as Piero Acerbi slowly turned. I had never seen him closely before and was surprised. He was an incredibly handsome man with thick arms. His skin was exceedingly pale and his eyes were a bright, unholy red. He smiled revealing white teeth.

"I feed on something much more delicious than wine," he continued. He cocked his head, studying me with a detached curiosity. "You're quite observant. I've seen you during the Council meetings. You can predict a person's history from how they act, what they speak. A useful quality, I imagine."

I remained silent, biting back the insults crowding my throat.

_Qui tacet consentire_, I heard my father's voice.

"What do you get from me, with that ability of yours? What can you guess of my history?" His smile was mocking me.

"You're old," I began. "Much older than you look." His smile widens.

"Go on."

"You despise life and fear death." I studied him closely. "You fear the fire behind you."

His smile grew fixed and he unconsciously edged away from the fire. Unless one had been watching, the movement would have been lost.

"And you're not human," I finished. _Any monster who dares kill a child isn't human_, I thought. Then, I realized he was sneering, upper lip curled and teeth bared.

He was also silent.

_Qui tacet consentire_.

"You agree to the fact that you're not human?" I grin.

"Aren't you clever?" he snarled. "Can you answer me this? If I am not human, then what am I?"

"A pathetic monster."

"That's not a specific answer," he grinned but there was something wrong with his grin. It was feral and I realized his eyes had turned completely black. "Let me show you then, what I am, and you can decide later if I am still 'a pathetic monster'."

I tensed, waiting for him to attack. Instead, he disappeared. Before I could gather my thought I felt a blow to my chest that sent me reeling to the opposite wall. I hit it but before I could begin to slump forward, a pale, freezing hand shot out of nowhere to wrap around my neck and hold me prisoner against the wall. The hand moved and a sharp pain stabbed into my neck. I looked down and saw Piero's head against my neck. I reached into my clothes and withdrew Chiara's dagger. I angled it against Piero's head and stabbed. Before my unbelieving eyes, the dagger shattered.

Piero slowly raised his head. A dark red liquid rimmed his lips which he greedily licked.

"I'm indestructible," he grinned. His head again angled down but I threw an arm to cover my neck. His teeth sank into the flesh of my forearm and a biting heat invaded it. I struggled in his grasp. I angled one hand back to try and punch him away. With a sickening crack, the bones in my hand shattered upon contact with his marble-like skin. I felt him smile against my skin.

As my blood was siphoned away, I felt myself growing weaker. My vision was rapidly becoming hazy and I felt more lightheaded with every second that passed.

My memory becomes erratic at this point.

_Piero attached to my neck like a giant pale leech._

_Voices and yells reverberated through the house._

_I collapsed as Piero dropped me turning and roaring._

_Chiara's warm hands on my face as she tells me that I'll be fine, begging me to stay awake with her._

_A man's voice yelling, "Fire! He hates fire!"_

_An agonized roar that no human could make._

_Chiara's face as she tells me, "It's over, now. He's fled. Don't leave me, Aro. Don't leave me…"_

Pain seared through my body, scorching me from my veins to my skin. I writhed in agony, clawing vainly at the bed for purchase before another wave of pain jerked me again. I foamed at the mouth, choking on pain. My eyes rolled into the back of my head. Convulsions shook my body. The smallest movement brought on racking torture but the sheer amount of pain did not allow me to lie still. A vicious circle.

My skin burned as the heat of venom raked through my skin. The heat was intense enough that it did not burn my skin away. Instead, it seemed to freeze it, hardening it.

The pain became a tide, ebbing and flowing, bringing with every tide a new wave of fire. I bit down on my lower lip to keep from screaming. I would not shame myself or add to Chiara's suffering by screaming. Then, the new wave rocked my body violently.

Every breath was an arduous torture, seeming to fan the flames licking my insides.

I could not bite it back anymore. A scream tore its way out of my throat to echo back to me. My pores screamed their own pain as the gold shades of my skin were burned away leaving me dressed in nothing but a white pain.

One last wave hit, stronger and more painful than all the others combined. It struck my body like a bolt. My heart clenched within my chest, iron bands tightening. One hideous scream sucked the air from my lungs, draining me of my human past. Then, the pain eased as my body's temperature cooled.

I did not feel weak or ill. Instead, I felt stronger and better than ever before. Like I was indestructible.

The memory caused my eyes to snap open and sit up abruptly. A surprised gasp stabs into my ears. It sounded loud, louder than normal. I was suddenly aware that I could not only hear the prey's respiration but their heartbeat as well. I turned my head slowly.

The prey is small but smells absolutely delicious. The smell was beyond description, ambrosia itself. I could grow heady on the smell alone. And if it smelled like this, what must it taste like?

I lunged at it, a pale cold hand wrapping around a slender neck. The pulse was erratic, beating out under my hand—an incredible massage. I could see the pulse, the course the blood charted and I lowered my head reverently toward it. My tongue darted out to taste the skin. Sweet and soft. My teeth grazed the delicious skin and sunk through to the liquid heaven underneath.

The blood rushed into my mouth, sinfully delicious, lusciously decadent. I moaned from the taste, the delicious taste, like Elysium riding in your mouth. I drained the blood grabbing the prey's long blonde hair in order to have a better angle to the blood in it.

Then, as the blood flow lessened, the Thirst's howl lessened as well. My hand dropped away from the pale blonde hair as my eyes slowly looked up at the prey's face. Uncomprehending, I dropped a woman's body as I stood. Blood had dribbled onto my chin, one of my hands, the front of my robes. I eagerly lapped all the blood I could. As the Thirst began to settle, my sanity returned and with it, I saw Chiara's body on the floor, a vicious gash in her neck from which no blood flowed. Her eyes were wide and glassy, reflecting the room around her but showing no light behind them.

I knew it was Chiara, I knew she was my wife. But I did not understand why she was lying so still on the floor. I especially could not understand how she was not bleeding from such an awful wound.

The Thirst settled but kept its claws embedded deeply in me. I was not free of it completely. But the fog it had laid over my brain cleared for me to comprehend what had happened.

I killed Chiara.

A scream destroyed the horrible silence in the room. A slave stared at Chiara then to me and continued screaming. Her shrieks brought forth others. A man was at their head who stared at me shocked before shaking his head.

"He's one of them! We cannot allow him to live!" The small group behind him quickly screamed its approval. At their approach, a roar tore its way from chest that sent many stumbling back. I took this chance to run through the door, striking anyone of the way who did not move fast enough. In most cases I heard the snap of broken bone but did not pause.

I had killed Chiara because I was not able to control myself. Milena was still in the house; I had smelled her. I would not kill my daughter as well.

I ran away from the city into the forest. Once deeply ensconced in the trees, I collapsed, trying to make sense of everything that had happened in the last few hours. My son had been killed so I went to avenge his death. His killer had bitten me, tried to drain my blood but did not kill me because Chiara and the men she had managed to rouse arrived. Somehow, they used fire to frighten the man (the leech?) away. He did something though that made me turn into someone like him. The pain must have been the result of the changing. When the pain eased, I awoke thirsty and attacked the closest thing with blood to feed on: Chiara.

I clapped my hands to my head. Upon thinking her name, hundreds of memories had rushed forth, memories that were not mine. I tried to sort them out, losing myself in them.

A young girl crying over her mother's body.

A boy offering his hand to a little girl to help her up.

A sharp pain and a sudden heat as blood pooled into a woman's skirts.

Myself, my eyes redder than Piero's as I attacked the woman, teeth sinking into her neck.

_Chiara. These are Chiara's memories_, I realized. _How did I get her memories?_

I concentrated, forced myself to find a semblance of order and soon Chiara's memories were receding into the back of my mind where I locked them away.

I stood slowly. I could hear the trickling of a stream toward my left and ran that way. I stopped quickly and looked back.

I had covered a large distance in a matter of seconds.

_I'm indestructible_.

I bent down and picked up a twig. I tightened my grip and when I opened my hand, I saw the twig reduced to nothing but dust. I raised a fist and slammed into the nearest truck. It shattered upon contact, the tree collapsing. I looked in awe to my hands, pale and unblemished. Perfect.

I finished the run to the river, now needing to see myself.

I had paled considerably, my long black hair contrasting against the icy palidity of my skin. My eyes were a brilliant red, several shades brighter than the blood I now seemed to feed on.

I made a decision there by that river in my first hour as a vampire. The Thirst did not seem to fade completely. Even now, I could feel it as a hollow in my body. I would feed on humans constantly, whenever I felt the Thirst begin to stir. That way, I would ensure my prey were ones that would not bother me with their death. I would not allow my instincts to overcome me and cause me to attack randomly again. I owed that much to Chiara.

In three thousand years, I am proud to say I have not broken that promise once.


	3. Deofilion, Part 1

**Author's Notes**: I am so sorry it took so long to get this out to you! See, this chapter did not want to get written. The others did but not this one. So, I feel I need to thank my beta, the wonderful Redeem (indi on the Lex), for her uber-beta skills. You all need to thank her too or you would have been waiting for this chapter for an even longer time. Also, thank you all for the wonderful reviews. You have no idea how happy I was to hear your comments! And one last thing, I recently put up another story, Fire and Ice. It's the first of many other stories that will also speak of the Volturi, but through another's eyes. So go read and review!

* * *

_Oh dear Augustine, Augustine, Augustine;  
Oh dear Augustine, everything's gone!  
Your money's gone, your girl's gone,  
Everything's gone, everything's gone;  
O dear Augustine, everything's gone!_

* * *

During the next few days, I took the time to relearn my body, test its new strengths and realize its new weaknesses. 

I could run halfway across the Italian landscape in a night—without tiring. I jumped from a cliff to the ocean kilometers below and barely felt the blow of such an impact. After swimming underneath the waves for hours, I never felt the burn from abstaining from oxygen for so long. Stones could crumble away at my barest touch.

During the first hours of my new life (figuratively speaking), I learned of the acuity of my vision, seeing things miles away as clearly as if they stood before me. The barest rustle never escaped my hearing and my sense of touch had evolved so I could feel every diminutive bump and fissure in the smoothest surface. I once tried human food, a thick broth, to see if I could still ingest it. I was able to taste every ingredient, the meat that had begun to rot when the animal was killed, the acidity of the vegetables, the sharp fragrance of the substance.

Repulsive is not a strong enough word.

Nevertheless, nothing grew as powerful as my sense of smell. I could smell everything within a five-kilometer radius—more depending on the direction and strength of the wind. The most attractive scents were the ones emitted from objects with a beating heart, particularly if said heart was human.

I hope you do not take it as an insult when I tell you that your species smells absolutely succulent. You, with your human senses, cannot even imagine it. There is nothing like it in the world. The fragrance envelops you like a comforting shroud, removing all barriers, all pain, all discomfort. It drapes around you like a lover, its hands at your face, your neck, your abdomen, whispering at your ear a sweet caress, a sweet urging. 

Stoker made a small mistake. It is not the human who is seduced by the vampire but the vampire who falls wholly under the human's spell and can no longer control himself.

Because of this, I headed north, away from Ticinum and away from Milena. As I am sure you are already aware of, during their first year of life, vampires are constantly thirsty. It pained me to abandon my daughter but the fear that I would accidentally lose control and consume her as I had her mother was enough of a deterrent to keep me away.

I traveled by night. My newfound vision allowed me to see as clearly in the dark as I could in light, an invaluable trait as any vampire will tell you. Well, surely, you remember that we glitter like diamonds whenever we step into sunlight. We can hardly waltz into a plaza at noon and stop for a bite, now can we?

Yes, the pun was fully intended. It just seemed too perfect to ignore.

Anyway, as I was saying, I traveled south. Peoples came from the Danube region to settle in the fertile valleys and fields of Italy. New towns and villages dotted the hills and pastures. I traveled constantly from village to village, feeding where I could and absorbing Stories.

Stories are what I call the thoughts I glean from other people's memories.. I never forget a Story once I absorb it; they're all in my mind like a thousand books each carefully identified and classified. First they are divided into human or vampire Stories and then by importance. For example, from the human Stories, Chiara is the most important because her memories are the clearest views I have to my _own _human life. From the vampire Stories, Marcus's and Anna's are foremost; Marcus because of his power (and the fact that he only communicates through thoughts) and Anna because…well, she's my mate. I am constantly touching her.

Yes, that would be awful; to be consumed by a myriad of thought and memory every time I touched another being. Thankfully, if I touch a person a second time, only the thoughts forged between the last time I absorbed their Story and the second time I touch them pass to me. Like a continuation of a series. I shudder to think what would happen if I received their entire story again and again. Repeated memories are _not_ something you want when you are unable to forget _anything_.

However, this I learned much later, after I joined my first coven. At the time, I would become startled at the rush of memories that would flood my senses every time I simply grazed someone's shoulder or the like during my wanderings. Soon, though, I began to "stumble" into them and accidentally graze a hand or a bare shoulder. From this, I learned about the area where I was, the closest towns, and the most populous centers…along with the dullest information about the price of eggs, the many children a certain man had populating the country, how beautiful Antonia was becoming and the like. Mind-numbing at times but I cannot filter through Stories. It's either absorb the entire thing or not at all.

As if not being able to listen from a distance was bad enough. I would kill to be able to eavesdrop on whatever detail I fancied to hear, whenever I wanted, not only when presented with physical contact.

Nevertheless, sometimes, the annoying tidbits of information are useful. I grazed a man's hand when I was passing him by and his thoughts jumped to me. The last proved the shortest and the most important.

_…damn wolves keep killin__'__ the sheep. I told 'im we ought 't'ave hunted 'em down long ago but does people listen to me? It's only when 'is daughter is getting 'er throat rip ou' tha' 'e's int'rested… _

Accompanying the erudite thoughts was an image of several sheep and a young girl, their throats viciously severed. However, not a single drop of blood seeped from the wounds.

_As the Thirst began to settle, my sanity returned and with it, I saw Chiara's body on the floor, a vicious gash in her neck from which no blood flowed. Her eyes were wide and glassy, reflecting the room around her but showing no light behind them. _

_I knew it was Chiara, I knew she was my wife. But I did not understand why she was lying so still on the floor. I especially could not understand how she was not bleeding from such an awful wound. _

Can there be others, I wondered as I ran, effortlessly dodging shrubs and trees. I had never considered the possibility of there being more like me. Like Piero. He was alive, of that I was sure. And there was a chance that the vampire feeding on the sheep was him. At the thought of him, hatred coiled around my unbeating heart, flooded my empty veins. If there was any chance that I could find him, that I could capture him, that I could kill him…

Vampire… such a peculiar word. One of the damned, a blood-sucking monster. A wicked beast that feasts upon the innocent and pure. A soul-less demon.

Yet, I do not consider myself a monster or a demon. Anna would certainly beg to differ about the demon part. And you, of course, may be disinclined to agree about the monster part, but I see no evil in what I do. All creatures rely upon each other for sustenance, such as I did as a human upon meat and eggs, vestiges of other beings surrounding me. The animals. Vampires are much the same. I rely on the delicious bounty of human blood to sustain me, like I used to with the livestock. The circle continues. It is not right to call something by which it is not. And a being that adapts and fights for its survival (though in my case it can hardly be considered fighting) is no monster. It is as it is, a creature of the earth.

Circle of life and all that jazz.

Only once have I ever run as fast as I did that night. I finally reached the village a few hours before dawn. The village itself was simply four houses spaced a few kilometers away from one another. From the man's memories, I recognized which house belonged to the girl who had been killed and crept to the dwelling. Around a window in the back I caught a strange, sweet smell. I would eventually know this as a vampire's smell and that night, unsure of what it belonged to, I followed it. The trail weaved toward a small wood and there another scent joined it, gentler and sweeter. The two scents remained together and I followed the trail eagerly, planning what I would do to Piero when I found him. The spare was simply a hindrance and would retreat or be killed as well.

"We know you're following us. Come out and we won't hurt you."

I froze. The smell had been steadily growing stronger until it was nearly visible. Now, I could see two shadows before me in a small clearing. Knowing I had been found, I stepped carefully toward them and into the clearing. Most likely, I would not be able to outrun them.

Although it was a night of no moon, I could see them, their skin faintly glowing. Neither of them was Piero. Instead, I had stumbled upon a male and a female. The male had pale, brown hair and wore nondescript shepherd's clothing. The female had a cascade of strawberry-blonde hair, pulled back at her neck. She wore what must have once been a fine shift but was now threadbare with age. Both watched me warily, their bright red eyes indicating they had recently fed.

I knew what I must look like to them. While their clothes were old but obviously well-cared for, my robes were badly torn and dirty. I had not washed in a while and spry vegetation had woven itself into my long, black hair. I also had not been able to feed for a few days a fact I knew would be reflected by the ebony band devouring the red of my pupils.

The male spoke and I immediately recognized him as the one who had called out. "Who are you and why are you following us?" His voice was low and soft as silk.

I recalled my lessons in oratory and diplomacy and I bowed to him. "Forgive me, sir, but I appear to have made a mistake. You see, I have been searching for an acquaintance and when I caught your scent, I mistook you for him. Please, you may be assured that I mean you no harm."

The male and female looked at each other in surprise. This time, it was the female who spoke in a silvered voice. "You are quite well-spoken. Your tone and manners hint to someone born of the upper-class with great learning, yet your appearance belies the image."

I immediately heard her unspoken question and answered.

"My name is Aro Deofilion, of Ticinum, fair lady. And if I may be so bold, might I inquire as to your names?"

They again shared a glance.

"I am Livius," he answered. "And she is Fortunata. We both hail from a city that no longer exists." There was no bitterness in his voice but I caught a flicker of grief and anger in Fortunata's face before it became impassive and wary again.

You should remember that I lived during a time when invasions were common. Nations often raided and conquered as they pleased. What they could not claim, they destroyed, turning vampires like Livius and Fortunata into nomads.

Imagine. You awake after three days of sheer agony, three days that seemed like three eternities to you. The moment you awake, those close to you—family and friends—draw away, afraid of you. Afraid of the palidity of your skin, afraid of the iciness of your touch, afraid of the unholy red eyes every young vampire has.

From pain to alienation. It's easy to channel everything to hate and allow the pieces to fall where they will.

Carlisle Cullen—a friend of mine, I doubt you know him—once asked Anna how she could justify feeding on humans, knowing that only recently she had been human as well.

"They destroyed my life. I hated them," Anna replied. "And I hated the vampire who turned me even more. He was not present, however, so I lashed out at the closest thing, a human."

Most vampires will answer in similar form, you will often see.

In Anna's case, it was worse. She had despised her human life, had tried to end it numerous times before she was turned. After she was, her husband refused to let her near her son. Desperate to see her child and suffering from the desperate Thirst all vampires awake with, Anna attacked and killed him.

Of course, she then had to flee as do all young vampires. Yet, most will yearn for the moment when they can return to their homes, those towns and cities where they were born and raised, in order to learn or remember something of their human life. In so many cases, however, it became impossible. Homes were razed to the ground, the vampires left bereft. Left nomads with no permanent dwelling and nothing but what they had when they were turned to keep with them.

How Anna, like Livius and Fortunata, despised everyone. Ah, my poor beautiful mate. Yet, is it truly any surprise that she hates human as much as she does?

Do not fear, though; she is not cruel to her food. None of us are. Lidia fought with us to make it proper etiquette to snap our meal's necks before feeding so they would not feel pain. Now, it is second nature to us. We have even impressed this rule upon the Guard to ensure they do the same. It is the least we can do, after all.

At the time, however, I fed in the standard fashion of most vampires.Taking and killing on sight. And thus it was no surprise that Livius would wonder if I had been the one to kill the girl, after I realized he himself had not.

"That was not you?" I asked, carefully controlling my surprise. Fortunata shook her fair head.

"This is the second time we have come here," she explained. "The first time we could not find humans so we had to feed on a herd of sheep. Tonight, we come back to learn a human girl was killed, her body left for all to see. The humans locked themselves in. We can break through easily, of course, but it is better to not do anything that could raise attention."

"Very wise, lady," I said. Livius frowned at me as Fortunata smiled. "Those are interesting news. Tell me, have you picked up another scent during your stay here?"

"Wondering if your friend has passed by?" Livius questioned. "Yes, we did. But, this evening's rains washed away the scent. It seems your luck is fatal, my friend."

Truly? I was not aware of that.

Fortunata turned quickly and whispered hurriedly to Livius. I surreptitiously strained my hearing but could not hear what she said. If only I could listen from a distance! When she finished speaking, Livius looked at her closely then examined me.

"Aro, correct?" At my small nod, he continued. "Fortunata has always been the type to lend aid to the needy."

My insides smarted in anger at the barely disguised insult but I kept my pose relaxed and my face politely attentive.

"If you wish you can come with us," Fortunata spoke quickly, frowning slightly at Livius. "We'll see if we can find the scent again, then you can leave with your friend. (And once you find your friend you can depart) Is that all right with you?"

"That is very kind of you, but I would not wish to inconvenience you in such a way."

"It's no inconvenience at all," Fortunata interjected.

At the same time, Livius snapped, "Of course, there are some rules. As you'll be part of my coven, you will follow my rules. That means you will hunt where I tell you, watch for others, and know your place. As I am the leader, you will do what I tell you without question. Do you understand?"

"You forgot to mention I'm not to touch or address Fortunata without your express consent," I pointed out politely.

Fortunata giggled but quickly silenced her laugh at Livius's furious look.

"Yes," he snarled. "I did. I trust you to remember she is my mate. Do not try anything with her or not finding your friend will be the least of your problems."

I bowed graciously. "Of course, I would never even consider such a thing. Since we understand each other, shall we be leaving now?"

Livius turned on heel and stalked into the forest. Fortunata smiled warmly at me before following her mate.

Well, that was certainly interesting.


	4. Deofilion, Part 2

_Who's afraid of the big bad wolf ?  
The big bad wolf  
The big bad wolf  
Who's afraid of the big bad wolf ?_

* * *

He was so accustomed to me; he did not register my presence behind him. As a vampire, I knew he would be difficult to kill but I was not going to let that keep me from giving him what he deserved. 

I dove at him, my teeth sinking into his shoulder. I had to apply more pressure than usual but I managed to tear through his skin. A strong jerk severed his arm from his shoulder.

He whirled around, one hand raised to strike me but I was ready. I caught his arm and held on tightly; I then aimed for his neck.

His body squirmed under me and I could feel more than hear the horrified growl vibrating from his chest. He struggled against me but I was stronger. I was also furious, which lent me a viciousness I did not know I possessed.

Slamming my jaw shut, I managed to tear through his neck. I quickly bit through the remaining hinge of skin that connected his head to his body.

With the head disconnected, it was easier to rip him into jagged pieces, my enire frame trembling with excitement.

Once I finished, I stepped back to examine what I had done.

"It suits you," I said to the pieces that were once Livius.

Remembering that I needed to burn the pieces in order to destroy him completely, I gathered several dry branches and leaves and two stones. I organized the tinder amongst the gory mound and took the two stones in my hands. Holding them close to the tinder, I moved to strike them—

"We're going hunting." Livius's frown was particularly endearing that evening. "You will be watching for others so stop daydreaming."

I looked after him as he disappeared in the direction of the town with Fortunata. I felt my upper lip curl into a snarl.

Bastard interrupting my dream. Such a lovely one too.

His orders were unsurprising however. The only words he ever delivered to me were orders.

_"Keep a lookout while we hunt."_

_"Aro, we are leaving now. Come."_

_"You may go hunt now, but return quickly."_

_"I am speaking, hold your tongue."_

I tolerated that for four hundred years. Barely, but I did.

Surprised? No more than I am. I suppose it speaks volumes about my need for revenge. I have never been one who takes kindly to having my plans changed. Things are done as I say or they are done as I say. The only difference between the two options is that the second involves the dismemberment and subsequent burning of whoever dares question me.

I don't consider myself cruel. I just don't like those arrogant enough to believe they can defy me. That's all.

Which means that, as I am sure you managed to infer from my reverie, Livius and I were the very _best_ of friends.

No, not really. Don't your people use sarcasm?

Well, that explains it.

To ensure our sarcasm-less friend understands, my relationship with Livius and Fortunata was estranged at best. Livius absolutely despised being told what to do, even in the form of a suggestion. Obviously, I would inject "suggestions" in every conversation while subtly questioning his leadership skills, his intelligence and his masculinity among other things.

I'm delighted to say he absolutely _loathed_ me.

Fortunata was an utter disappointment. Unlike Anna, Adelina or even Lidia, she never questioned Livius, never challenged him. Everything he said she agreed with.

We would come upon other covens from time to time. One included a man with an angel's face who would not stop looking at Fortunata. I am sure that if she could have blushed, she would have. Livius did not miss this. He promptly hissed at her not to look at him and ordered her to stand behind him. Had Marcus told Lidia that same thing, Lidia—who adored Marcus—would have laughed in his face. Adelina would have ignored Caius and, if pressed, slapped him. Anna would have cheerfully told me where exactly I should go and precisely what do with myself there. Fortunata, however, bowed her head, turned to stand behind Livius and apologized.

I stifled the urge to roll my eyes. Instead, I walked up to the two men and extended a hand in welcome. In Livius's coven, I was expendable therefore I was the one to greet others. If he had known what I could do, I doubt he would have been so enthusiastic about throwing me into danger.

That's the one weakness my power has. It requires an incredibly dangerous approximation to another who may or not be friendly. The only way I can be certain they pose no danger is to touch them, which is too close for my guard's and my comfort.

This time, when I touched the one who approached me, his Story told of separating from their third member, another male, who had left to form his own coven with another vampire. Apparently, he had not been able to say goodbye because had been hunting. Poor thing. I swallowed both my nausea at the overly-sweet emotions and disappointment at the lack of information about Piero.

Behind me, Fortunata gasped. I turned and she motioned for me to go to her. Livius glared at me for a moment before turning to Fortunata. Leaving the bemused pair, I walked toward her.

"I recognize that scent!" she exclaimed. "It's your friend's!"

Remembering the third vampire's face, I knew it was not Piero. Before I could stop him, Livius turned to the pair.

"Was there a third man traveling with you?"

The two vampires exchanged a glance.

"Yes," answered the brown-haired one whose name I remebered from his story as Decimus. "But he left with another."

"Do you remember who he left with? His name?" Livius seemed strangely excited at the prospect of getting rid of me. A brush against his shoulder proved me right.

"We never saw his face," answered the blonde one. "But Dominicus did tell me his name. Pietro, I believe it was."

My head snapped up. No…

"Do you know where they went?" I questioned the blonde. Belatedly, I remembered from Decimus's story his name was Otho. Otho's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"Why do you want to know?"

"It's his friend," Fortunata responded. I shot her a glare to make her hush but she did not even notice. "And he dearly wishes to meet him again. Could you tell us where they went?"

My fists clenched at my sides in an attempt to keep from wringing Fortunata's slender neck. Idiot girl.

Otho smiled. "Important to you, then?" he grinned at me. I added him to the list of people I would kill at the first chance. At its head was Piero while Livius and Fortunata competed for second place. "What will you give me for such information?"

I stepped toward him but he immediately compensated by moving away. I tried again to have the scene repeat itself.

"Usually," I began in an attempt to distract him so I could get close enough to touch him, "the price is equal to the value of the information. So, the best choice of humans in the village?" 

"That's all it's worth to you?" he asked skeptically. "You want to know, I get the girl."

Livius roared behind me but I quickly cut across him. "All right. You get her."

"WHAT?!" Livius screamed. Several expletives followed. Fortunata gasped, staring at me as if she had never seen me before.

"But before you get her," I continued, "could you answer one other question?"

"What is it?" Otho smirked.

"What exactly do you want with her? I mean, you certainly do not need a servant. From your unwashed state, I would wager that you have never even heard of the combination of water and soap."

Otho's smirk faded at my words. I pressed on. "An intellectual partner would be good but you need some sort of intellect to begin with else the poor girl will be jaded before you reach the mountains."

Livius, Fortunata and Decimus gaped at me.

Now please note, boys and girls, that confidence is an important virtue. If you don't have it, this is what happens. Otho was trembling with barely repressed anger. His eyes reflected the sharp heat of his fury. Perfect. Just one more then. "And as a mate she certainly would not work. You require certain…_anatomical_ parts for that which you seem to lack. Tell me, were you born that way or were you made a eunuch while you were still human?"

With a roared oath, Otho launched himself at me. As a human, I had received excellent military training. It was a requirement for all upper-class sons. As a vampire, my ability was simply greater. I easily looped around him to grab his shoulders. Using his momentum against him, I punched his neck with as much strength as I could muster. My fist landed cleanly against his vertebrae. The blow jarred me but I heard the clean break of bone as his head snapped back several degrees more than it should.

He was far from dead, of course, but disabling the head allowed me to tear into him much more easily than it would have been otherwise. Behind me, I could hear Livius and Fortunata fighting against Decimus.

Before I completely destroyed him, I brushed his temple and his Story gleaned through providing me with all the information I needed and more.

Well, don't sound so shocked and self-righteous. I told you I didn't like people changing my plans didn't I? I _will _do what I want. I may have to find alternative routes but the end result will be the same. I don't lose.

Back to the story, Livius was absolutely livid.

Almost spitting in anger, he said—

Actually, I won't repeat what he said. There are ladies present. Some form of decorum must be maintained.

The gist of his rant, however, was that I was no longer a part of his coven and he never wanted to see me again.

Would you look at that? We actually agreed on something! Isn't that incredible?

Delighted, I said, "As you wish. I already have what I need. My greatest hopes go with you."

Of course, I did not say my greatest hopes involved his quartering but I digress.

I bowed deeply to an irate Livius, kissed a shocked Fortunata's hand (as I said, decorum must _always_ be maintained) and took my leave.

I was racing through the Tuscan countryside, reveling in my newfound freedom and hope that I would soon find Piero. I was the happiest I had been in years so, obviously, something awful had to happen. Which it did.

Livius and Fortunata came running after me.

I smelled them in the breeze blowing at my back. I swore violently and deliberated between sneaking behind Livius and killing him for simple peace of mind. I quickly discarded the idea though. It wasn't fair to disadvantage a person like that, particularly one already mentally disadvantaged.

I settled for waiting for them. Fortunata was the first one I saw.

"Wait, Aro!" she called.

I ground my teeth in frustration but strove to appear calm.

She stopped before me and beamed. "Now, Aro," she began in a maternal sort of voice. I could feel a twitch build up in my left eye. "You didn't actually believe we would just let you leave like that? We're a coven; we have to stay together!"

"That's right," Livius agreed, stepping subtly behind her. Coward using Fortunata as a shield. He always used Fortunata or me to test any possible danger.

"You actually want me to remain in your coven?" I asked Livius with innocent surprise.

"Of course, we do," he said. His words were slightly muffled, as if coming through gritted teeth. "Fortunata told you why. We're a coven."

"Oh, that is wonderful," I replied jovially. "And here I believed you'd only followed because you found the large amounts of gold in Decimus's pockets and the gold remains in Otho's pyre and had decided to come see if the third vampire had as much gold and take it from him, killing my friend and myself if needed so you could keep all the valuables to yourself."

Livius's face twitched but Fortunata's expressed abject shock and horror before she quickly rearranged her features.

"Y-you don't actually believe—" Fortunata began nervously.

"That you would betray me in such a manner? Of course not!" I cut across her. "_You're_ nowhere near that devious. That's me." Both stared at me, Fortunata terrified and Livius furious. "Shall we get going?" I grinned. "I've no idea how long they shall remain in Sarzana and I'd rather not miss them."

I turned and continued south, practically bouncing with each step. I could feel Livius's eyes boring a hole into my back. He seemed to realize that I would no longer follow his every order. I had followed his whims on the chance that he would deliver me to Piero. But now, for some reason he could not understand, I knew where to find Piero. Thus, he was no longer necessary and could easily be discarded if I felt like it. Those were his exact thoughts, actually. I gleaned them when I punched him but that happens later.

At the time, the three of us ran, pushing our limits in order to reach Sarzana before dawn. From the speed at which we were traveling, Fortunata's and my hair whipped behind us like banners, the first a pale gold, the second darker than the night sky.

Despite our effort, we were only able to reach Terme, one hundred and twenty six kilometers too far from Sarzana.

"We'll need to stay here," Fortunata said, eyeing the softly pink horizon. "We can't risk exposure by continuing to travel." I couldn't deny her observation even if it did irritate me. I allowed them to choose a small cottage built on the outskirts of the small town. While Livius and Fortunata happily feasted on the cottage's former owners, I cursed my luck and prayed that the sun had also caught Piero in Sarzana, rendering him unable to leave.

"Aro?" I slowly turned my head. Fortunata smiled nervously at me as she held out a woman for me to take. "You need to feed," she explained. "It's not good to stay to long without blood; we lose our minds. And we still have a long run before us, may be more if they've moved. You'll need your strength. Don't worry," she added quickly as I eyed the proffered meal. "I just snapped her neck recently. The blood is still warm."

"Thank you, Fortunata," I replied softly, reaching out to lift the body from her hands. Fortunata smiled at me before traipsing back to the other room where Livius watched us.

I'll admit, there were times when Fortunata absolutely frustrated me with her submissiveness and naïveté. Howver, there were also others when she was endearingly sweet. With the sole exception of Carlisle, the friend I had told you about before, I have never met someone as gentle and kind as Fortunata. Certainly not among the natural kind of vampire where one needs to be selfish and cruel in order to survive.

I suppose you find it hard to believe that someone who feeds on humans could possibly be kind. Yet, a Story like Fortunata's is hard to find. The vampire who turned her had not meant to do so. Driven mad by long days of unquenchable Thirst, he had finally snapped and attacked various people in Fortunata's city. She and Livius were among them. Apparently, the vampire who turned them had not bothered to finish drinking from most of his meals; instead, he would drain them until the blood flow lessened then would move on to the next. This meant several humans left half-alive—and turning. Most were killed by their own people as they had been "tainted". Livius was saved by his sister and Fortunata by her mother. Here is where the Story took an interesting and original twist: Fortunata had been five-months pregnant when she was turned.

How the mother and fetus survived the three days of turning, I am not sure. Nevertheless, at the end of the third day, Fortunata woke up to her new life as a vampire with her baby still inside her.

Once she realized what had happened, she fled, meeting Livius just outside the city's border. Because of this, Fortunata never lost her maternal instinct, one that valued others' lives before her own. The only other thing she had left of her old life was a golden bracelet she never took off. It had been supposed to be a necklace for the baby, but the baby never had a chance to be born.

We resumed travel when the sun was still a half-disk on the horizon. Keeping to the elongating shadows, we raced across the countryside.

About thirty kilometers away from Sarzana, we came across two scents, both the strong, sweet smell of a vampire male. The scents were beginning to fade; I guessed them to be two days old. Anxious and elated, we followed.

The trail led to a house on the outskirts of the town much like the one we had broken into. Then, the scent formed a new trail which wound away. This second trail was very strong, no more than an hour or two old, which meant we could overtake them.

Tossing care to the winds, we ran pell-mell until we finally saw two figures in the distance.

"Wait!" Fortunata cried and I saw the two vampires pause, turning to watch us. We slowed to a walk and approached carefully. As we came closer, I saw the one to the left was the third member of coven we'd killed, Dominicus. Discarding him mentally, I turned to the second—and felt as if someone had just delivered a punch to my stomach.

He wasn't Piero.

Well acquainted with Fortunata's lack of tact when it came to blurting questions, I quickly shushed her.

"He's not the one I was looking for," I explained in response to her scandalized look. Immediately her look softened.

"Aro," she whispered, raising a hand to touch me sympathetically. I backed away from her. This failure, this disappointment…was excruciating for me. I've told you I do not like being wrong. I'd just devoted four hundred years to hunting a man down and I'd failed. It was worse having Fortunata and Livius as witnesses.

"I am sorry," I told her. "I wasted much of your time. I appreciate your help, however, and you have my gratitude." Fortunata looked as if she would be crying if she could. Even Livius was solemn. I turned to leave.

"Where did you get that necklace?"

Dominicus was pointing at Fortunata's neck where a gold chain rested. A gold chain that had belonged to Decimus.

I swore violently under my breath, unsure whether to be furious at her, Livius or me for not noticing sooner. Fortunata closed her hand around the chain.

"Family heirloom," she said clearly. I had to credit her; her voice was steady and sure. Nevertheless, there was a fine trembling to her hands that I'm sure neither vampire missed.

"Really," Dominicus said. I did not believe the surprise which laced his words to be honest. "I noticed a seal upon the metal. The seal is very similar to that of an old coven member, Decimus. Perhaps you've heard of him?"

The scent! Accustomed to it, we no longer smelled it but they must have smelt Decimus's and Otho's scent on us. I quickly opened my mouth to explain we knew no one of such name, but had come across another coven recently.

Before I could attempt to establish peace, however, Livius snapped, "Of course not. We do not meddle with brutes."

"Do you even possess the capacity to think?" I asked. Livius glared at me.

"We heard interesting news today," Dominicus's companion, Pietro, spoke up. "A few how hours ago, we met a vampire who told us of a vicious fight he had witnessed between two covens. The victorious coven was composed of two males and a female whose descriptions match you. How ironic."

It was then I realized I would not be able to save us. We would not be able to escape, certainly not without fighting for it.

_Keep the element of surprise, Aro_, my father had told me in one of our training sessions. Never use every weapon you have at the beginning and certainly not your strongest.

The only extra weapon I had was my power. If I could get close enough to touch one of them, I would immediately learn what their strengths were—and their weaknesses. To do that, though, I needed the element of surprise.

Fortunata asked them to forgive Livius; he did not know what he was saying.

There's my opportunity.

I dove at Pietro but when my hand was centimeters away from his face, I froze. I couldn't finish the blow; it felt as though I was about to kill an old, dear friend.

He grinned and struck me.

I fell several meters away, and rubbed my aching jaw. Certainly not the way I had planned, but I still gleaned his Story.

He ran towards me but I immediately moved back, keeping a distance of five meters between us. He snarled, attempting to move closer but I would not let him.

You see, he had an extra power like me. In his case, he could keep opponents from attacking by making them feel as if he was someone important to them, more important than their own lives. His victims could not fight him as they would not wish to hurt him and he could then destroy them easily. However, those feelings did not last. His power only worked within a five-meter radius yet no one had ever lived before to learn this.

Except for me. Teasingly, I remained close but always just out of reach of his power. I hoped to anger him as I had with Otho and prompt him into making a mistake.

Snarling, he chased after me, but I was faster. As I ran, I threw all I could grab at him: uprooted trees, slabs of rock. He screamed in desperation and I roared back, feeling the cry climb from deep in my chest and radiate out, my mouth contorting into a feral snarl in order to accommodate the bellow.

I led him in a circle and finally found myself where I wanted. Directly behind me was Dominicus, straight ahead Pietro. When he dove for me now, I didn't simply whisk off. Instead, I stepped carefully out of the way, pirouetting in place. This meant I remained within his reach and I could feel horror twist my insides as my hand aimed toward him. Yet, I had ascertained that I would not be able to stop. Instead, I struck him, sending him towards an already badly wounded Dominicus.

Or so I had hoped.

Shock invaded as I watched him fly at Livius—and saw Fortunata run into the way, taking the blow herself.

I have never, and I doubt I will ever, forget the scream that tore out of Fortunata's throat that night. Despite the anguish inherent in that cry, I caught an almost victorious edge to it as she saved Livius. Then, Pietro was tearing into her and I was rooted to the place in shock, horrified to look on but unable to look away. I didn't move until a small object fell before me, startling me.

On the short grass, Fortunata's bracelet twinkled, broken, the one that had originally been a necklace for a baby that was never born. I stooped to pick it up. The metal lay in my hand, a cool gold. A golden oval hung from the delicate chain. On it, a single word had been written.

_Live._

I closed my fist around it. An agonized roar escaped Livius before he ran to Pietro. As he turned to face Livius, Pietro forgot about me and I dove at his back. Hate fueled me and allowed me to escape into my barest instincts. As I let the animal take over, Pietro's power lost effect. With no human emotion to manipulate, he could no longer stop us. Reacting on pure instinct, the blood I had ingested singing in my veins, Livius and I obliterated him, making pieces of the pieces. When I stood back, I noticed Dominicus trying to flee and jumped him, doing to him what I'd hoped to do to Piero.

"Fortunata," came the broken whimper behind me. Livius knelt in the remains of Fortunata's body, trembling with grief and anger. I took a step toward him and his eyes, almost completely drowned in black, accused me. "It's your fault! You brought us here and now she's dead! She's dead! You killed her! I'll kill you!"

He lunged at me but, in his despair, he wasn't thinking correctly and I punched him squarely in the jaw, sending him reeling back. The strike made an odd, hollow sound when it landed that troubled me oddly.

Watching his broken figure, I opened my mouth and closed it. There was nothing I could say, nothing I could do. Instead, I opened my hand and tossed Fortunata's bracelet so it landed before him. Without looking back, I left.

I had seen death closely for years, as a human and vampire. Until then, no death had disturbed me as much as Fortunata's had. It reached such a point that I did not kill any vampires, even those who attacked me first, until several years had already passed. Luckily, there were few who dared challenge me. The two coven's ends were retold and magnified until my old human nickname "Deofilion" became infamous throughout Italy. Any whose paths I crossed made every conscious effort to stay away from me. This suited me perfectly. I took this time to try my hand at tracking, but I quickly surrendered. All I had to go on for my search was a name which he may or may not have still been using.

Eventually, my wanderings led me full-circle, and I found myself one evening close to Sarzana. The memory was still painful and I would have left had it not been for the figure that stepped out of the trees.

The man must have been turned even later in life than me—surprising at the time. I was turned when I was thirty-seven and would have soon been considered old. This man by those standards was ancient, and thus I paused in order to talk to him.

He seemed to realize exactly who I was as he quickly gasped, "Please, do not hurt me!"

"I will not," I said patiently. "I was wondering if you might be able to help me. I am looking for a vampire named Piero. Have you heard of him?"

"No," he shook his head quickly, eyes wide. "But, I do know a new coven has formed at Volterra, a strong one. Perhaps he is there or those vampires may know of him."

I thanked him and ran south. This was the first solid clue I had had in a long time. There was nothing left to my life; I certainly would not lose anything by heading where the old vampire told me.

_Volterra_, I wondered. _What coven could that be?_


	5. Volterra

_Make new friends but keep the old  
One is silver and the other gold  
A circle's round, it has no end  
That's how long I want to be your friend.  
A fire burns bright, it warms the heart,  
We've been friends right from the very start.  
New made friends like new made wine  
Grow and mature to the end of the time! _

* * *

Volterra at the time was a bustling city, one of the many born under the Etruscan era. It had fallen under Etruscan control two hundred years before around the same time Caius, Marcus and Lidia returned to the city. Lidia had been born in Volterra and it had been her decision to settle permanently there. Marcus, always ready to please her, agreed, overriding Caius's opposition with a majority vote. By the time I joined them they had already constructed a massive palazzo with numerous turrets and had perfected into an art form bringing humans from other towns to feed upon. Lidia was capable of walking anyone hand-in-hand to their very death. 

Yet, I'm getting ahead of myself. I haven't even reached Volterra in the story and I am already telling you about my coven!

Following the thread of my previous story, I told you a vampire had spoken to me about a strong coven forming in Volterra. Hopeful that I would finally find Piero there, I raced toward it, a silent ghost but for the gust I created from my speed. I managed to reach Volterra just before dawn and dove into a tall building's welcoming shadow just as the sun's first fiery rays shot through the sky.

It wasn't too difficult to pick up their scent. As I've told you before, vampires have a very sweet smell that underlies all other scents. If you know what to look for, it's easy to find. In this case, as there were three vampires, the scent was easily distinguishable Humans wouldn't be able to discern it, but other vampires would know this was another coven's territory.

I tracked the scent to a wide plaza. Many humans had already begun setting up their stands and several others were shopping or gossiping with the shopkeepers. The scent led clearly across the plaza but there was a slight problem; the early morning sun had already washed the plaza in a clean white light.

Glancing around, I spotted one man hanging up scarves, shifts, and cloaks. He was a few meters away but one group of humans was walking toward him. If I huddled behind them, I could hide in their shadows until I reached his shop.

"I wouldn't buy anything from him. Passes off his wares as being fine and charges an exorbitant price for absolute trash."

The soft voice made me jump and I turned quickly, sinking into a defensive stance—and froze. Despite my carefully disciplined upbringing, I couldn't stop my jaw from falling open.

Looking back on it, I realize my response was actually well-controlled. Most who met Lidia would be struck dumb by the very sight; many would fall to their knees in awe. Her beauty was legendary. In fact, even you know of her, the face that launched a thousand ships. At the time, she and Marcus were using pseudonyms. Helene and Paris.

Their Story has always been one of my favorites.

Which goes to show you how proud I am I didn't make a fool of myself. The most beautiful woman of all time (for no one before or since has ever come close to her near-ethereal beauty) standing before me and all I did was gape.

Don't tell Anna.

As I was saying, she was wearing a long silver-gray cloak. Her hood was pulled over her head, concealing her hair. Pale, delicate features contrasted the vivid red of her eyes. In her small, slim hands she held a black cloak of marvelous silken quality.

"If you want good clothing," she continued, stepping closer, "try Aquila. He made this. Put it on once and you'll never want to remove it." Her red eyes never shifted from mine. I saw my hands move to relieve her of the cloak and could not remember when I had told them to move. "Might I enquire as to your name?"

Her question snapped me out of my reverie. "Deofilion," I replied promptly.

Her laugh was all silvered bells. "We have heard of your exploits, even here. The others will be interested to meet you."

"Others?" I asked politely. I couldn't touch her; she carefully kept a small distance between us. Her stance was casual but one that could quickly drop to either aggressive or defensive, depending on the circumstances. Now that I think about it, it was very wise of me to preserve that distance. Looking back, I am astonished at how reckless I was at times. Though I did not know it at the moment, Lidia could have ripped me to pieces without lifting a single finger. In all my years, I have never encountered an ability like Lidia's, powerful as an offensive and defensive move.

"My coven," she replied. "I shall take you to our home. Follow me, please." Pulling her cloak closer around her, she turned and almost floated away. Nearly tripping over myself to pull on the cloak and watch her at the same time, I followed her, the silver-gray cloak a beacon as she led me down the narrowest and darkest streets. My wariness grew with every step until she stepped before a blank stretch of wall. Before I could question her, she bent down and grabbed a large slab of stone off the ground, her fingers sinking through cleverly disguised grooves I had not seen.

"Please," she motioned for me to jump in. "I must replace the cover when I go in."

_She_ could jump in however many holes she liked but I certainly would not until I was certain of what would greet me. Before I could tell her this, my legs began moving toward the hole. I tried to stop but my legs did not respond as they fell through. It was but a short fall and I felt my knees bend as I fell, easily absorbing the blow, then straightening and moving me out of the way. The little light cutting through the inky darkness was abruptly cut off as Lidia jumped, pulling the grate shut behind her.

"Follow me," she said and I was suddenly in control of my legs again. I took two furious steps toward her before I felt my legs again fastened to the floor. "Now, now," she replied breezily. "Let us behave, hm?"

I had a reply on the tip of my tongue but that's where it remained. I couldn't open my mouth. And when she turned and moved away, I followed after her docilely.

Of course, "docile" only describes the movements. My thoughts were anything but as I thought of every rude name to call her and every uncouth action I could think of that she could do in every language I knew. Since you're human, that may not sound like much but, with some aid from my vampiric memory, I had learned Latin, Greek, Persian, Egyptian, Dacian, Mycenaean, and the early dialects that would eventually evolve into Italian, German, French, Spanish and English.

But I digress.

Soon, a certain cool-headedness descended. I'd always been able to think clearly under moments of stress. I focused on trying to understand what was happening to me. As I observed, I realized there was a very slight pressure surrounding my body, soft and light but strong and unbreakable. It was also flexible as I felt it move me, bending my body, forcing me to walk.

The pressure around my face was different. I could feel it pushing on me from above and below, keeping my mouth closed.

I tested my body and found I could not move my limbs or head. I couldn't blink but I could move my tongue and I could still swallow. I tensed the muscles in my chest and abdomen and curled my toes inside in my shoes. In short, I could move everything that wasn't visible.

Testing my theory occupied my time but didn't divert my attention from my now silent companion. She watched me carefully, her piercing gaze revealing nothing but frank curiosity. Her hood had been pulled back, revealing a cascade of silken dark-red hair. A delicate band of intricately woven gold wrapped around her forehead and kept her hair away from her face. A single garnet dropped from it, flecks of gold surrounding it, making her fair face appear slightly warmer.

I tensed my arm but could not break through the invisible pressure. She smiled, however, and a mischievous glint crowned her eyes.

"Don't bother," she replied merrily. "No one can break through it. Relax; we're almost there.

"My name is Lidia. I just remembered I hadn't introduced myself. I'm curious, how did you come by the name of Deofilion?"

The pressure around my face faded and I found myself capable of speech. There were several retorts crowding my throat but I swallowed them all. In that state, it wouldn't have been wise to irritate her.

"My father had been nicknamed 'Deo'. As his son, I was named 'Deofilion'."

"Do you remember him?"

"Not clearly. My memories of him have been fading."

"I don't remember much of my human life, either. What brought you here? Oh, here we are."

I tried to turn my head but encountered an invisible wall. Lidia danced out of my range of sight and a funnel of light washed over me.

"Come, Deofilion," she said and my body twisted toward her, bringing her into sight. Once again, my legs moved without an order from me and I stepped through a stone archway. Lidia held the thick stone door open for me.

Unlike the tunnel behind me, the hall I now found myself in was more cheerful. There were no windows, but numerous torches provided enough light to see easily by. Large tapestries hung at regular intervals.

"This is the Main Hall," Lidia explained. "We began building several years ago. This was one of the first areas completed." As she spoke, she floated down the hall toward one of the larger tapestries on the opposite wall. She grasped one edge and peeled it away, revealing a wooden door. She grabbed the knob and pushed it open. A stone stairway arched above and away. We climbed quickly and silently and soon found ourselves before another door like the one below us. Lidia gently pushed it open and waved me inside.

Like the other hall, this one was also windowless. Tapestries were interspersed with doors, the largest of which were a pair of wide double doors at the end of the hall. These had been made of a better material than the others and it was toward these that Lidia headed. As we came closer, the doors swung open and two vampires glided toward us.

The second drew my attention first for the shock of white hair that crowned his head. He was clothed in fine navy blue shot through with silver and his face was solemn.

The first, though, would leave a lasting impression. I'll never forget my first view of Marcus. Not because I can't, but because he was so different from the apathetic being he is now.

His hair had been pulled back and tied at the nape of his neck. He wore a dark-green tunic with gold embellishments. His red eyes glittered and a small smile danced around his lips whenever he looked at Lidia.

Lidia had pulled her cloak off, revealing a pale-green gown that hugged her body. A golden girdle emphasized her slender waist. The look on her face spoke more than words could. I wouldn't have needed Marcus' talent or my own to know they were mates—or very much in love.

The initial greeting lasted less than a second and anyone other than me would have probably missed it. I'd told you before, as a human I'd had prodigious talent into reading other's facial gestures and body language. As a vampire, I did not even require my mind-reading ability to learn about others; I picked up on visual clues. Absorbing the Story later simply provided me with more information—and proved my initial beliefs correct, of course.

Marcus quickly turned from Lidia and observed me. His critical gaze made me feel as if he was examining me—which, indeed, he was. He must have been pleased with what he found because his face relaxed into a welcoming smile. He looked behind me and I heard Lidia respond cheerfully, "This is Deofilion. He wanted to meet us." Marcus nodded.

"Welcome to Volterra," he said. His voice was soft like all of our species stronger than most and confident. This wasn't the type of man to be swayed easily or act rashly. Of the three, Marcus was always the most steadfast. "My name is Marcus. He is Caius and you have already met Lidia."

"Thank you for your greeting. But first, could she?" I gestured as well as I could (which wasn't very well) to Lidia. She laughed, Marcus chuckled and Caius smirked.

"I am sorry," Marcus grinned. "Lidia?" I was released so quickly I stumbled. Only the grace ingrained in me from childhood kept me from landing embarrassingly on the floor. Marcus smiled apologetically. "I do apologize. I'm sure you can understand that one can never be too careful."

I glanced quickly at Lidia and she grinned unapologetically.

"Deofilion, correct?" Caius spoke up for the first time. His voice was very soft yet hard and it carried. I had no doubt he would have no problem controlling a crowd with his voice alone. He eyed me curiously but his gaze, like his voice, was harder than Marcus'. Caius has never been friendly to newcomers. He has always been distrusting by nature. It took months for him to warm up to Carlisle and Carlisle was one of the most amiable vampires I have ever met. I nodded once at his question and he continued, "I've heard of you. Supposedly, you killed two covens in a single night. Is there any truth in that?"

"Some. I killed one coven and the other two nights later." I kept as close to the truth while maintaining the legend that had formed about me. Though it was a double-edged sword, it was safer to keep others in fear of me. It lessened the chance of fights.

"How did you do this?" Though his stance remained wary, I could hear the interest in his tone.

"Before," Lidia interjected calmly, "perhaps our guest would like something to drink?"

Marcus clapped his hands together. "Correct. First, why don't we get you settled in? Then, you can regale us with your accomplishments."

It wasn't in a way I'd imagined, but I was with them. We strode towards the wide double doors with the sole exception of Lidia, who went to find some nourishment.

I hadn't managed to touch any of them. Though certainly not from lack of trying.

After I'd fed, we settled into the room. Unlike everywhere else, this room had windows, large rectangle hewn into the stone high above and producing twinkling patches of light on the ground. The vaulted ceiling extended high above us.

We sat at a round table where they questioned me closely. It took all my talent to deflect the more sensitive questions without arousing suspicion. Even so, I could see Marcus's eyes tightening slightly at my evasions though he made no comment on them. I was in awe as I was certain I was giving nothing away and I wondered if he could somehow have an ability like mine.

Lidia asked me again why I had come to Volterra and I gave them the old story of looking for my friend. They were sympathetic enough and offered and help they could. Lidia was the one to raise the suggestion that I stay with them because it wasn't "right for someone so educated to wander like a vagabond". Marcus rose at once to show me to my "bedroom". Caius and Lidia requested my presence later after I'd settled. Laughing, I agreed.

As Marcus led me out of the room and down a different hall, I thought about Livius and Fortunata and compared them to Marcus, Caius and Lidia. It was like comparing a shrub to a tree, similar only in their origin. Though I hadn't touched any of them I'd noticed the strong bond between them. They weren't together simply for convenience. A more fraternal feeling united them. It was a very interesting group I had found.

Unlike Lidia who had watched me the whole time, Marcus never even glanced at me as he led the way. He stopped before a door and pushed it open.

"This will be your room for so long as you wish to stay. We haven't had visitors in a long time. There is a table and chairs, a lectus for relaxing and a large bathroom through that door." He paused and turned to face me. "I don't trust you," he began bluntly. His eyes searched me. "But you don't appear to be a threat. Caius and Lidia are very dear to me and I don't want anything dangerous near either of them or me for that matter. While I don't have reason to doubt you, I can't help but worry at the amount of information you keep concealed. You're good but not near that good," he replied to my raised eyebrows. "If whatever you are keeping a secret is dangerous, tell us. We can help. If not, we know of places you can go. But we don't want any trouble here. It cost us to settle into this city. We don't want our sacrifices to have been in vain."

"I understand, Marcus," I replied. "My secrets are simply for safety's sake. You understand, of course, why one would not wish to reveal all to someone they don't know. But there is nothing after me, nor do I wish any harm to this fair city. On that, you have my word."

Marcus smiled. "Then you can be sure that this vampire is of no threat to you…Aro."

My mouth dropped open. "What—? How—?"

Marcus laughed. "I told you. You're good. We're better."

He clapped me on the shoulder and walked away, still laughing. When he turned the corner, I allowed myself a small smile. His hand had fallen upon a rip in my robe and his finger had just barely grazed the skin underneath.

And I was suddenly in possession of his Story.

I practically skipped into the room, collapsed onto the lectus and lost myself in the liquid images of another's life.


	6. Illusion Part 1

Little Boy Blue,  
Come blow your horn.  
The sheep's in the meadow;  
The cow's in the corn.  
Where is the boy who looks after the sheep?  
He's under a haycock, fast asleep.

* * *

It was almost too easy to settle into a new life in Volterra. Marcus and Lidia were very welcoming. In Marcus, I found a fellow aesthetic soul. We admired many of the same poets, painters and sculptors. We could spend days discussing a single work of art or literature. As you know, I had gleaned his Story. From it, I discovered that he, like Lidia and I, was talented. He could see relationships as a cord linking people together. The brightness of it told of the relationship's strength and the colors revealed which emotions linked them together. In a single relationship, the colors could vary from one person to another, with one loving the other and the other hating the first. A red cord revealed lust; black signaled hatred. Fear was an opaque gray bond. Love, the bond between true mates, was a near blinding white. 

It was absolutely fascinating.

Lidia immediately assumed the role of a sweet and endearing younger sister. I was particularly taken to her because I had learned about her long before I knew she existed. She had been part of Otho's coven but, after she met Marcus, she abandoned Otho for Marcus. The irony in that was just too wonderful.

I adore her because she was very curious and constantly questioning all around her. Her questions, though, revealed her to be greatly observant and possessed an analytical mind. Her questions provoked hours of discussion in a wide variety of subjects from the shape of clouds to Marcus Aurelius' writings.

It was during one of these discussions that I learned about her power. While I already knew she was capable of moving things without needing to touch them from my own experience and Marcus' Story, I still didn't know how she managed to do it. The opportunity presented itself when we were walking toward a garden she had planted behind the palazzo and she grasped my hand.

From that innocent touch, I received true knowledge of her power. As a human, she had been able to move things utilizing only her mind, an ability you now call telekinesis. She could only move things she could see within a range of one meter. As a vampire, her ability grew immensely but was still directly related to her own body's strength. Her range doubled but still required visual contact.

You're not underestimating her, are you? Two meters may not sound like much but within that distance she could tear rocks, trees, even building blocks out of the ground, sharpen them all simultaneously and fling them faster than the speed of sound at a target over twenty meters away--all in the span of a single second.

In terms of speed, Lidia was second only to Anna.

While Marcus and Lidia took to me quickly, Caius was harder to win over. Distrusting by nature, we were still referring to one another formally while my conversations with Marcus and Lidia had already descended into the informal. Soon, though, we came to respect one another immensely.

Caius was the intellectual of the group, enamored with philosophy, theology, and politics. We would spend weeks locked in debate, neither side winning but nonetheless coming to appreciate the other. We once spent days on a single chess match, taking up to an hour to move a single piece. As often as we played, I never won. Not once. During those matches I truly came to admire Caius, though I'll deny it if you ask me later. Caius has no extra powers like the others in the coven. One could imagine this to be a disadvantage in a coven such as ours. Well one could if one were a fool. Before he was turned, Caius was a proud general, leading an army. This gifted him with incredible military and strategic prowess; capable of considering every possible situation, anticipate every problem and planning effectively for all.

Obviously, I was delighted. After years of wandering, the only educated person I ever met was Fortunata and since she couldn't be trusted to speak up for herself, the Volterra coven was a gift from the gods.

I quickly learned how they had known about me. Lidia loved to travel and pick up news. She had learned the legends about me and grew interested. With a little help from Caius, she successfully tracked the legendary Deofilion to Ticinum where she learned my true name. It had been on her return trip that she stumbled into the old man who had told me about her coven. She was the one to mention her coven to him and how powerful they were, allowing their reputation to take root and the information to get to me at some point. Lidia had a good eye for potential allies.

It proved very difficult to keep my power secret and soon grew impossible. Not only were all three very observant but Marcus could see the subtle changes in the relationship whenever I concealed something from them. It was four months after my arrival when Marcus finally confronted me about it.

"All right, Aro, what are you hiding? What's your ability?" Marcus was never one to waste time on florid talk.

How I miss him.

"What do you mean?" I asked. Marcus barely restrained himself from rolling his eyes.

"Aro, acting is not your forte. You are a member of our coven. Even Caius has taken to you. Yet, you continue harboring secrets. Why?"

Knowing I was caught, I admitted, "One never gives out all they know."

"I'm aware of that," Marcus said softly. "But if you cannot trust us, how can we trust you?"

I stared at him then began laughing. "You almost made me believe that. I may not be a good actor but you're no better."

Marcus dropped his pathetically wounded look and I saw the corners of his lips twitch upward slightly. "Nevertheless," he began and I could gear the barely repressed laughter in his voice, "what I said still stands."

We grew silent. I debated with myself. On the one hand, if I didn't tell him my power, I would lose his and the others' trust, maybe have to leave Volterra. On the other, if I said, I would lose the one advantage I had over everyone.

The American Benjamin Franklin was right when he said that that three people can keep a secret if two of them are dead. Marcus knowing meant Lidia would soon learn about it as well. To gain some time, I walked slowly past him and grazed the back of his hand. His thoughts wavered between worry at what horror could make me hide so much of myself, and fear for Lidia, Caius and himself. I couldn't find any danger, for which reason I took a deep breath and turned to face him.

"I can hear other's thoughts."

Marcus took a step back. Obviously, he hadn't expected that.

"Well, I hadn't expected something like that."

I can read minds _and_ foretell the future!

Marcus watched me carefully. "Do you know what I'm thinking now?"

I shook my head. "I need to touch a person to hear their thoughts. Then, though, I hear everything."

"Everything?" Marcus gasped.

"Every thought you have ever had."

Marcus opened and closed his mouth. "I suppose I shouldn't be so surprised. You always seemed to know too much with no known reason as to why you did."

I remained silent.

Marcus blinked then glanced at me pityingly.

"Poor Aro," he said. "From knowing so much, you will never be allowed to leave now." The effect was ruined with the mischievous glint in his eyes, and I chuckled darkly.

Unlike her mate, Lidia took the news of my power badly.

"How _dare_ you?!" she screeched, yet somehow even her most ungodly sounds still sounded melodic. Her ethereal face was twisted with anger. "After all we did, you couldn't tell us? My thoughts are _private_!" I was sure that if she had been raised differently, she would have been swearing. It took Marcus some time to calm her down, but I couldn't restrain myself from one last jab.

"Do send my greetings to Clytemnestra! I so admire her."

Marcus had to physically restrain her to keep her from attacking. I still ended up with several torches and a few chairs hurled my way.

Caius surprised everyone by taking it in stride.

"I'd suspected something like it," he mused. "You knew too much to simply have observed it from natural senses." I was about to respond, but Caius cut across swiftly, frowning. "Don't think I'll let you touch me, though."

"I wouldn't dream of doing that, Caius," I replied seriously. "You're not pretty enough."

Caius, who until then had not even bothered looking at me, raised his gaze from the scroll he was studying.

"Jealousy isn't becoming to you, Aro," he said then disregarded me as his attention was fixed back on his scroll.

Anna took the news much like Caius but Adelina reacted worse than Lidia. That happened later, though.

Speaking of Adelina, that was around the time that she joined our coven.

By that time, our coven was well-established. Our territory covered Volterra and several outlying villages, a distance of over sixty kilometers in every direction. The Paganico coven, composed of two males and one female, bordered us to the south and part of the west. To the north and rest of the west, the Lucca coven lay with four members, two males and two females. To the east, three distinct covens warred over the territory. Adelina's coven was one of these.

The first news of the war reached us on a fairly innocent, sunny day. We had just "breakfasted" and Caius and I were engaged in one of our infamous chess matches. Lidia and Marcus watched, Lidia safely ensconced in Marcus's embrace.

During each match, I employed a variety of tactics to force Caius into making a mistake. Distracting and annoying were among my favorites. That day, it was taunting.

"Marcus," I began after losing yet another piece, "I feel awful."

Marcus, noting how I was gearing up, barely hid a smile. He played along, "Why would you feel that way, Aro?"

"I just feel so awful for Caius," I breathed a heavy sigh. "With such looks and character, he will never find a mate. Which vampire do you know is both stupid and blind? She'll probably need to be deaf too."

Caius made a sound that seemed oddly like a snort. "And so the hypocrite speaks," he said, taking another of my pieces. Lidia laughed.

"Hypocrite?" My eyes widened with faux innocence. "My dear Caius, I could find a mate for myself easily."

"Yet you have none," he cut across swiftly.

"And you think you can find one?" I snapped. The barely avoided checks had me anxious.

"Of course," he replied. A grin suddenly spread across my face.

"Let's bet on it, then. Whoever finds a mate first wins. And when I win, you need to let me win every chess match."

"Very well," Caius agreed. "However, when I win, you need to walk around for a year with a sign on your chest reading 'I'm a hypocrite and an idiot'."

"An idiot? How so?"

"Simple. Checkmate."

At my stunned look, Marcus actually snickered.

A sudden knocking distracted us. Lidia leaped from Marcus's embrace and dashed to the window, peering from behind a long curtain that kept sunlight from her skin but through which she could observe.

"It's Amadeus, from the Lucca coven."

We stood and walked out. Lidia ran ahead to welcome the visitor. By the time she brought him in, we were settled in our tall throne-like chairs in the Main Hall. Amadeus, a young vampire with curly brown hair, bowed before us.

"I come bearing a message from my leader, the honorable Leo. We have received disturbing news. In the east, one of the Marmi coven has been killed. The coven has declared war upon the others and the fighting has spread to our borders. Leo wishes you to remember the deal we made when we decided to settle here and help us keep them away from our territory."

"We need to lend them aid," Caius whispered. "It will not do to irritate the Lucca coven. Their alliance was gained with difficulty and they are necessary to control the wild newborns that crop up in the north. We also cannot allow this situation in the east to continue."

"For that," I muttered back, "we'll need a meeting between all the covens to decide what is to be done. The Lucca and Paganico covens can come here to plan what we shall do to keep the situation from deteriorating further."

Lidia lowered her head slightly as if thinking then raised it proudly. No one but us would have known she was nodding.

"Amadeus," Marcus turned to him. Amadeus stood at attention. "Tell Leo that we will aid him in any way we can. And tell him that we shall have a meeting with his coven and the Paganico coven to decide what to do."

Amadeus bowed again. "Thank you, Marcus. I shall send my master this message." With no further word, he turned on his heel and walked out.

"Oh Aro," Lidia giggled. "What if Caius meets his mate in one of those covens? The Lucca coven has one female who has no mate."

"Who's to say I'm not the one to find a mate?" I challenged.

"Because you're an idiot," Caius replied dryly. Marcus's and Lidia's laughter covered my indignant response.

It was just my luck that he should meet Adelina a month later.

The situation in the east had become desperate. There was constant fighting over territory, of course, but I had never witnessed something like that before. Each coven would take humans and turn them, using them to fight. Those early groupings of newborns would prove to be the precursor of newborn armies that would so annoy us later after achieving control of the vampire world. Adelina was one of those newborns. She had been a slave, captured and imported from far north, and it was partly because of this that she was turned. Unlike the typically dark hair of those born near the Mediterranean, her hair was practically a beacon of bright yellow strands that fell to her waist. After she was turned, however, her coven realized she had an extra ability, an extraordinary one, which made them train her past her first year and use her to command the newborns.

By that time, we were hosting the first, and last, meeting of our three covens. The Paganico coven favored watching and waiting. Pius, its leader, suggested sending someone to serve as a mediator and see if a truce could not be achieved. The Lucca coven wanted to attack them immediately to keep the situation form deteriorating further. If the three were allowed to remain as they were much longer, Leo, a burly, serious vampire, argued that the humans would take notice and try to attack. He reminded us of what had happened several years ago in Rome. The humans had also tried to respond to a war between covens but succeeded only marching to their deaths, leading to a massive food shortage for the Roman covens.

Marcus, long favored for the wisdom of his decisions, begged some time so he could meet with us and come to a decision. Lidia came to me grimacing and took my hand. In my mind, her Story opened and it was like new chapters had been added to it. She remained to entertain our guests while we stood and exited to a small antechamber. I told Marcus and Caius of Lidia's opinion, one I had to admit was good.

"She believes we should send an emissary to them, one from each coven, to see if we can't force an agreement that pleases all. If not, we should follow Leo's suggestion and remove them before they threaten us."

Marcus agreed while Caius added, "If that's the case, the emissaries can serve a double-purpose. We shall watch and see which coven is the least dangerous to us. That's the one we shall lend aid to and destroy the others."

As Marcus swept from the room, I hid a grin. I had the strongest urge to tell the Paganico and Lucca covens that their cheerful redheaded hostess was the mastermind behind most plans and decisions. Just imagining how they'd take it made me hastily hide my laugh behind a cough. Caius glanced at me strangely and I smiled brightly at him. He rolled his eyes and muttered something unintelligible under his breath. Chuckling, I followed him.

As we returned, Lidia humbly came to us, the perfect hostess. I caught her eye and winked. She subtly elbowed me in return.

Marcus explained our, well Lidia and Caius', decision detailing it carefully. He specified that they should pick one among their number, patient and slow to anger, to speak to the warring covens. Despite some disagreements, the two covens agreed.

A few days before the meeting, my coven and I had a small disagreement.

"I'm the best orator here," I snapped. "I should be the one to go." Caius rolled his eyes and Marcus frowned.

All right, so it wasn't _that_ small.

"We know that," Marcus replied, eyes narrowed. "The choice wasn't easy. But Amadeus is an excellent orator already. We needed someone who can scout the land and learn from which direction and how it would be best for us to attack if it comes to war. Caius has much greater military training, is a keen observer—"

"I'm an excellent observer!" I retorted indignantly. They just didn't understand. I _wanted_ to go. It was just too fascinating!

"—and he _can control his temper_," Marcus finished, enunciating the last four words carefully through gritted teeth.

"I'll have you know," I began hotly.

"Aro! Come here, look at this!" Lidia ran into the room. She was smiling divinely, her dark red strands of hair flying behind her. "Come! No, you stay," she motioned to Marcus who had moved towards her. He looked surprised and narrowed his eyes at us. She beamed at me. "Come!"

She turned on her heel and half-walked, half-ran gracefully away, motioning me to follow her. We stopped in a room we had been expanding. The walls were bare and one needed to be knocked down. I turned towards her to ask her why we had stopped there but froze at the wicked gleam in her eyes.

After seven hours spent as Lidia's personal battering ram, I realized my coven was right and Caius should be the one to go. It was then she let me go, dazed, on the pile of rubble that had once been a wall.

On the appointed day, Caius, to my great annoyance, joined Amadeus from the Lucca coven and Regina, the only female in the Paganico coven. They returned several hours later. It had been a failure. Amadeus and Regina returned to their covens to plan for war, but Caius came back to us shaken and haunted by the image of Adelina's golden hair.


	7. Illusion Part 2

_Goosey Goosey Gander,  
Wither shall I wander?  
Upstairs and downstairs  
And in my Lady's chamber.  
There I met an old man  
Who wouldn't say his prayers,  
So I took him by his left leg  
And threw him down the stairs._

* * *

It was a very clear night when Caius and Marcus finally came head to head. Lidia had been romanticizing the moon to pass the time.

"The moon is a wraithlike orb tonight," she sighed, glancing out the window. "You can see so many stars, so many fragile pinpricks."

"What the hell do we care?" Caius snapped. Marcus whirled, eyes flashing.

"Don't take out your frustrations on her," he threatened. "She didn't make you fall for a _newborn_." He spat the last word like a curse.

Caius stood so quickly his chair fell over.

It was at this point I walked into the room. I'd just returned from a meeting with the Lucca coven and Amadeus was waiting outside. I stepped into the Main Room to be met by a roaring Caius. Lidia, standing a meter away, had him pinned in place, and Marcus had sunken into a half crouch, lip curled viciously.

"Well," I blinked, "if you're going to kill one another, at least have the decency of warning me so I can find a good seat."

Lidia turned to answer me sweetly, "They weren't about to kill each other." I raised an eyebrow but she ignored me. "It was just a disagreement. But it's over now. Correct?"

"Yes," Marcus answered after a curt pause, turning to look at her.

"Yes," Caius spat between gritted teeth.

Lidia relaxed her glare. Caius' body suffered a short series of spasms as he regained control of his limbs. She turned to Marcus, gliding toward him. Caius' eyes flashed twin onyxes and I knew what he was about to do.

"Lidia!" I yelled in warning. I sped to Caius, grabbing him before he could dive at her. We stumbled to the ground where I wrapped one arm around his neck and latched the other around his torso to restrain him. Lidia clung tightly to Marcus, stroking his face and whispering to him. Soon his posture relaxed a bit, but the fury did not leave his eyes. I kept my grip on him until the jumble of his thoughts quieted and his typical calm and unbothered attitude returned. Then, I let him go. He straightened his robes and stalked from the room. Lidia whispered something to Marcus and he stormed away in the opposite direction from Caius.

"Lidia?" I questioned. She stepped closer to me, her usually bright eyes dull. She held out her hand and I gently laid my palm on hers.

Her memories of the past events flooded my mind before receding into the book housing her Story.

"_We need to do something_," she thought. "_This can't go on."_

"There's nothing we can do," I replied so softly she had to strain to hear.

"_He's truly in love?"_

"Obsession describes it more closely. It's too late." At my words, her gaze fell. Off-handedly, I continued, "This is why I'd much rather lose that bet. This love thing is much too destructive and pathetic for me."

A bitter smile crossed her face as her hand dropped from mine.

"Too bad, Aro," she said. "I have a feeling you'll fall the hardest."

I scoffed at her words. Lidia suddenly brightened. "Tell me what happened. How did it go?"

The "it" she referred to was my meeting with Leo. Shortly after our failed attempt to reconcile the warring covens, our own clans had had their own falling out. The Lucca coven favored helping the Belverde coven, the first to have been established in the region and the second strongest of the three. However, Paganico preferred to help the Bagnaria coven, a group composed mostly of once Greek slaves. The third coven, Murlo, was the weakest of the three It was also Adelina's coven and the source of one of our many disagreements. Caius wanted to fight for them but Marcus, Lidia and I stood steadfast with Belverde, siding with Lucca. The war had swallowed us all. Even inside covens, divisions were coming to light threatening to tear us apart. The first break was against the Paganico coven.

I had traveled to Lucca to meet with Leo and his coven. Amadeus met me at the border between our territories and led me toward the city. The sun had set so we had little to worry about in terms of humans seeing us. We ran to a tall building near the outskirts of the city that gave the deceptive look of being unfortified. Amadeus ushered me through the wide doors and down a cheerfully lit hall to a large receiving room. Leo, with Amaranta and Sofia—the latter Leo's mate—flanking him on either side, stood when he saw me.

"Welcome Aro," he had said.

His tone had been calm, his face attentive. His eyes were rubies, cold and hard. "No problems during your trip?"

"None at all," I'd replied smoothly. "Amadeus was an excellent guide."

"Good, good. Would you like anything?"

"I'd dined before I left, thank you."

"Shall we, then?" One hand had swept away to point at a half-open door in a shadowed corner. We had walked toward it, leaving Amadeus, Amaranta and Sofia in the receiving room. Inside the room, which was smaller than the one before, there'd been a circular table with handsomely crafted willow-and-weave seats. We'd settled into them and Leo turned to me.

"Before we begin, bear in mind that in Lucca everyone is responsible for their words. So choose them wisely."

I'd nodded graciously and he continued, "Then tell me. What has the Volterra coven decided?"

"It was a difficult decision and we did not take it lightly. The decision we came to is this: We will lend whatever aid necessary to the Belverde coven."

"As we decided," Leo had nodded thoughtfully. "And what are you thoughts on the Bagnaria coven? They may not be as numerous but are slightly stronger and are dependant on the Paganico coven's support."

"They are of no threat even with Pius' aid."

"And what did you decide to do with the Paganico coven?"

"We desired your say on that," I'd evaded the question, "to help in our decision." I did not tell him that we had already decided that if Paganico sided against us they would be destroyed as well.

"It's simple," Leo had replied coldly, his eyes hard as rubies. "We kill them. During our meeting, they knew of our promise to support one another. They did not agree and split from us. And so, they're enemies."

"I will relay your words," I had replied, "and return to inform you of our decision."

"Rather," Leo had stood abruptly and Amadeus had appeared at the door, "Amadeus will accompany you. Tell him and he will inform me. Agreed?"

His tone may have worded it as a question, but his face had said it to be a command.

"If you deem it a wiser course of action," I'd answered.

I quickly narrated my meeting with Leo to Lidia who promptly looked alarmed.

"Amadeus is here?" she whispered, horrified. "How much could he have heard?"

I held up one hand. "One way to know. Get me some parchment and a quill. And some wax."

Lidia disappeared and returned within a second, holding out all three items. I rapidly scribbled our decision, signed and held it out to her. "Can you make a seal to close it?"

She nodded and narrowed her eyes. The parchment curled shut into a tight scroll. A piece of torch nearby suddenly wrenched away and shaped itself into a seal. The stick of wax hovered in the flame until it melted then dabbed a piece over the scroll. The makeshift seal stamped quickly into the wax before it hovered back to me. The seal, wax and quill continued hovering in midair. As we walked away, they trembled and clattered to the ground, the notes struck against the ground sounding oddly final.

Outside the door, Amadeus stood some distance away. His face was impassive. I went up to him and held out the sealed scroll.

"Take this to Leo," I said. As he took it, I shifted my hand and my fingers brushed his fingertips. He had heard all from my exclamation until Caius and Marcus left. It wasn't enough to prove dangerous to us but I still worried. Leo was enamored of war and had had his eye on Volterra. By then, the city had become the seat of the Etruscan civilization. Marcus and Caius had bought a truce yet Leo needed only the smallest excuse…

Lidia, who had remained behind the door, suddenly barged in, furious. Anger made her fair skin appear fairer, her hair cascading down her back like a beautifully macabre cascade of blood. Her features were aglow with the brightness of her fury, making her look all the more like an avenging angel. A gown of black silk bared her back, shoulders and arms and she held her head proudly. Long inured to her near-terrifying beauty, I had to make a conscious effort not to have my mouth drop open at the vision of an angel from the Apocalypse storming into the room, wrath alighting her flame-red eyes.

"Men," she shook her head disgustedly. "Incredible how they'll act over a simple choice of Corinthian columns or—oh." She drew up short, blinking her bright eyes. I had to stifle a smirk upon looking at Amadeus. He had fallen prey to her unearthly beauty and collapsed onto his knees, staring at her as the gods must have looked upon Aphrodite when she rose from the sea foam. My hand, still near his while holding the scroll, grazed him again. Lidia's unorthodox display had driven the discussion from his mind and his memories lingered on the image of Lidia, drinking in her magnificence.

I cleared my throat loudly and Amadeus jumped and turned to me, looking stricken. "Take this to Leo. Quickly," I hinted. Amadeus bowed hastily and turned though he continued sneaking glances at Lidia as he walked away. When he was gone, I turned to Lidia and smiled appreciatively. She smiled back. Deciding to taunt her, I allowed my gaze to drop rakishly and inspect her body. Her hands wrapped around her as if to ward off cold, her smile turning into a glare. I snickered.

And a stand suddenly flew into my stomach, knocking the wind out of me and hurling me backwards onto the floor.

Lidia stormed away. I swore in every language I knew as I wrenched the stand off. I dimly heard it crash against the opposite wall. As I stood, I realized something interesting. Lidia had followed Marcus to the gardens behind the palazzo which meant she wouldn't be in their room…

"So it has definitely come to war," Marcus muttered once we had gathered. Caius was silent and I could infer without needing to touch him what was passing through his mind. "When are you meeting again, Aro?"

"Within two days," I replied promptly, remembering the last words shared with Leo.

"We are to support Belverde," Caius interjected. His tone was dead of all emotion but Marcus and I heard the unspoken words at the end—_and not Adelina_.

"It's the wisest course," Marcus replied quietly. "You had told us we should support them. As for the woman, there's no need for her to be hurt. We can find a way of securing her safety without jeopardizing our position." It was a shot in the dark. Caius' only response was a cynical smile that did not reach his eyes. Instead, the black orbs reflected a sharp void of pain, tinged with the heat of anger.

"ARO!"

We all jumped at Lidia's unholy shriek. Her scream one of the rooms upstairs and she could be heard running toward us, her screams giving her away.

She threw open the doors and stood framed in the doorway, She still wore her clothes form before and held in one hand a filthy, torn cloth and in the other a piece of rubble. Her entire frame shook with barely repressed anger. I hadn't looked upon something so comical in a while. I hid my laughter, however, knowing when not to push her.

"Lidia?" Marcus walked toward her, worry evident in his face. "What is wrong?"

"He's what's wrong!" she screamed, pointing at me. "I want him dead! I am going to tear him into pieces, then tear the pieces into pieces before burning them!"

"But, Lidia, what _did he do_?" Marcus enunciated carefully, trying to calm her down and look furious at me (though he still had no idea what I'd done) at the same time.

I was very close to my breaking point.

"Look!" she cried. She held up the tattered remains of a once sky-blue dress that had seemed to flow around her body like water.

"Oh, would you look at that," I said off-handedly. "It seems like someone used something—maybe pieces of a wall—to tear most of your clothes before dashing them through mud. Who could have done something like that?"

I knew when not to push her. That didn't mean I _wouldn't_ push her.

If she had looked furious before, she was downright terrifying now. I couldn't bite it back anymore. I burst out laughing.

"That's it. I'll kill him now!" The stone in Lidia's hand suddenly rose from her palm as if held by something invisible.

Uh-oh.

I ducked and felt it brush my head. When I looked up, Lidia was looping around Marcus to run at me.

"Oh damn!" I jumped back and ran around a table, barely keeping outside of Lidia's range.

She chased me throughout the room, hurling everything that entered her range at me. Marcus followed her, trying to get her to stop. Caius laughed cruelly.

"Help me!" I yelled at him as I passed. He grinned maliciously.

"I don't think I will. It's just _too_ fascinating," he mocked me.

I swore violently at him before throwing myself on the floor to avoid a table that just barely missed me.

Marcus finally caught Lidia after I was pummeled by a few objects. I think he'd been waiting until I was hit before finally grabbing Lidia and hauling her to him. Lidia, though she had stopped using her power, continued shooting glares at me and I was almost ridiculously relived her ability wasn't literal death glares.

"All right! Lidia, don't throw, grab, trip, or otherwise harm him," said Marcus. He turned to me, frowning, "Aro, no childish attempts at revenge. We are adults, have been so for five hundred years, so there is no reason we cannot behave in a mature and rational way."

"You're not my father," I groused. Lidia started and I flinched. Marcus grabbed her arm and glared at both.

"Be_have_," he intoned severely.

"All right," Lidia grumbled.

"Yes, Father," I complained, though I still clung to future plans for revenge.

"Aro," Marcus said warningly. He must have seen the color in the cord linking us change to dark grey tinged with black signifying lies, a mistrusting, almost traitorous relationship. I sadly bid farewell to my dreams of revenge and his gaze relaxed. "Now we have a lot to do. Let's plan how we'll carry out our attack."

We stepped closer, forming a circle until there was hardly any space between us.

It was then I realized something I'd long known but never faced before. I had called them my coven for some time but it was then that the truth of the statement sank in. We were a coven in the truest sense of the word. Our bonds had evolved from simple convenience to strong ties of kinship. We fought, we argued, Lidia screamed and threw things without ever touching them. But we always returned to this point.

Caius and Marcus were discussing land elevation and wind direction to determine which would be the best place to mount our defense, Lidia reached around Marcus, one delicately long-fingered hand wrapping around my wrist. Her memories seeped through along with her last thought.

_What else did you learn about Lucca from observing them? I'll never forget you diving through the air to avoid that table just to land on your face, by the way. _

I chuckled and she grinned unabashedly.

That was why we were able to succeed where so many other covens—some many times more powerful than us—failed. We were, are, a family. And we will always defend our family from every threat. If protecting our family requires a simple rule—human suspicion must not be aroused—to be enforced strictly and without hesitancy, then we shall do so, if only for the sake of Lidia's memory.

That, loves, is a promise the Volturi shall always keep.


	8. Illusion Part 3

_Aura Lee, Aura Lee  
Maid with the golden hair  
Sunshine came along with thee  
And sparrows in the air _

* * *

Lidia and I strolled through the brightly lit plaza of Volterra. A warm summer dusk cloaked us, shadowing us from the sun. Lidia's hair darkened to the color of wine, my own turned dark as ink. Caravans had reached the city and Market had been extended to last the entire night. Immediately after sundown, as the torches were just blaring to life, Lidia and I had wrapped cloaks around us and ventured forth into the heady air.

I breathed in deeply. The atmosphere was almost festive, gossip, lighthearted bargaining and shrieks of laughter suffusing the air. The staccato notes of dozens of heartbeats provided a comforting background music.

It was to be Lidia and Marcus' 219th anniversary and she wanted to get something special for him. To do so, she had enlisted my help to find something_ different _for him.

We browsed through the stalls, with me turning every woman's head as I strolled through and Lidia attracting the attention of every man just by the simple motion of her arm as she brushed a strand of hair away from her divine face. Meanwhile, women glared at Lidia while men glanced enviously at me. It was too amusing. One man, so involved in gaping at her with the look of a man dying of thirst and suddenly finding an oasis, walked right into a wall.

I chortled gleefully.

"What?" Lidia asked absently, glancing up from the rack of cloth she'd been examining.

"Just a very entertaining man," I told her, grinning. Lidia laughed and the salesman helping her actually had tears of happiness in his eyes upon hearing her.

"I can imagine," she said, her eyes twinkling merrily. Despite—or perhaps, in spite—of her heavenly beauty and flawless façade, she was perfectly aware of her effect on the opposite sex. Unlike Anna, however, she didn't relish in her ability. Then again, Lidia was just so beautiful it was an almost terrifying quality. The same men who froze at the sight of her or collapsed weeping (as I'd seen many do) never drew near her, frightened by the same trait from which they couldn't tear their eyes away.

Anna, nowhere near as beautiful as Lidia, was the one to attract the most men, the one who could win over anyone and rise to the heights of power but with a smile and a single spoken word. What she didn't posses in outright beauty she more than made up for in terms of seduction.

I suppose it's my lucky nature playing in again that I would be the one to win her love, something numerous others, human and vampire alike, have attempted and failed.

Speaking of Anna, our anniversary is coming up and I haven't gotten her something.

She never speaks to Adelina but if she can convince Adelina to torture me again…

Agh….

Oh, that's right. You've yet to know Adelina's ability. Excuse me but I'll let you squirm in anxiety a bit longer. It wouldn't do to tell you prematurely. It'd ruin the effect.

Before you grow insulted or adamant, let's continue the story, shall we? Five hundred years down, 2500 to go.

I told you it'd be long.

While we had managed to settle our differences (and by we I mean my coven and I), the situation outside had degenerated fully. We were not only battling two savage, unstable covens but also had a strong, intelligent coven to the south amassing its forces. Volterra and Lucca held near daily meetings. One day I would travel to Lucca and Amadeus would go to Volterra the next before the cycle repeated itself.

Amaranta, Amadeus, Lidia and I had traveled to Belverde to meet with the vampires there. Caius had wanted to go but Marcus convinced him that he was needed in their meeting with Leo and Sofia. It had been obvious what his true purpose was—to keep Caius far from Adelina—but Caius had accepted Marcus' excuse.

"It's so awful," I'd told Lidia s we ran across the Tuscan countryside to meet with Amadeus and Amaranta.

"What is?" she'd questioned.

"Caius accepting Marcus' excuse. He doesn't argue anymore. He doesn't fight Marcus, doesn't insult me, doesn't question your morality—"

"Aw," Lidia had giggled adorably. "Aro really loves his Caius."

I'd promptly tripped her and she hurled a rock at my head.

A short while later, Amadeus and Amaranta had joined us. The rest of the trip to Belverde had been silent, Lidia and I running together on one side, Amadeus and Amaranta on the other. While we may have been allies, we were very unwilling allies. I am amazed Lidia and I did not try to kill them or they us.

In Belverde, the coven had been waiting for us—three males. They had escorted us inside their home where they had quickly explained the situation.

"We were the first settled here," Renatus, the leader, had said. "After a few years, Bagnaria came and attempted to take our lands from us. Murlo arrived, saw us battling and thought it'd be easy for them to take the territory."

"How are the other covens?" Amaranta had questioned, watching Renatus closely. "Particular strengths? Weaknesses? Favored battle tactics, anything?"

"Bagnaria is the one to worry about," Renatus had quickly answered. "The coven is five strong with a group of thirteen newborns they've trained to fight. From Murlo we have little to worry about."

"Except for La Crocea," Adriano, another member of the coven who'd been silent until then, muttered. The other member shuddered at his words.

"La Crocea?" I'd asked softly, as if merely wondering. Lidia also remained calm/passive but I could tell by the sudden tightening of her eyes that she was paying rapt attention as well.

"It's a nickname," Renatus retook control of the conversation. "She's the leader of the newborns. We call her Crocea for her yellow hair and the yellow light that is said to appear around her." His voice had been carefully neutral.

"Forgive me if I appear forward, but was she the one to kill the fourth member of your coven? Ursula, was her name?" I'd inquired gently.

"No," Renatus had replied and his eyes and voice had turned hard and cold as steel. "We killed Ursula."

Amadeus had frowned and Amaranta had squirmed uncomfortably. Lidia had only blinked while I had struggled to remain impassive.

"Why did you kill her?" I'd asked, masking the shock from my voice.

"We had to," Renatus had replied simply, shrugging. "She was suffering. It was a mercy killing," he'd said louder, trying to dispel the sudden wariness that had descended on the room. "We took her from her suffering. Adelina was the one to make her go insane."

Needless to say, the meeting had promptly gone downhill from there. Amaranta had questioned as to Adelina's power but they had answered that they didn't know how it worked or even what it was exactly. The only ones who could give testimony as to Adelina's power were either dead or insane.

My mind constantly jumped back to that meeting in the days following. That day with Lidia in the market was no different, particularly when she held up a bolt of cloth, a bright sunshine-yellow, for me to examine.

"I can use it to embellish that one," she said, pointing at a forest-green cloth.

"Ah yes, the tried and true sunflower look. He'll look adorable."

"Aro!" Lidia frowned. "I asked you to come with me and help me, not laugh at me."

"Forgive me, my dear," I bowed. "He'll make a very handsome sunflower."

"You're an idiot," she declared.

"You're annoying."

"You're arrogant."

"You're insufferable. What, can't think of any more epithets?" I teased when she just glared at me. "I can think of a few more. Whining, aggressive, narcissistic, stubborn, intrepid—"

"Ha!" she interrupted, crowing. "Intrepid isn't a bad trait."

"In the case of a self-righteous, self-centered misandrist with violent tendencies and no ability to think before doing anything, it is."

"You are—"

She wasn't able to finish her sentence. Marcus was running toward us, barely keeping to a human pace. He stopped before us. Only two words exited his mouth.

"It's begun."

We ran back to the palazzo where Caius waited for us at the door.

Bagnaria had declared war on Belverde and Murlo. The two had been forced to ally momentarily but were also about to attack one another. Paganico had secretly made a small newborn army of its own whose numbers would be soon added to Bagnaria's newborns. Lucca was readying its own army but it would take them too long to cut south and stop Paganico. We were needed to travel to the junction between Paganico's, Murlo's and our territory to keep Paganico from attacking Murlo and Belverde from behind, thus trapping them.

Dressed in shear black to blend into the cloaked night sky, we traveled southeast, absolutely silent. Marcus' face was set, Caius unemotional. Lidia looked angry. She also kept one hand over a bag tied at her waist filled with thin, pale disks that moved by themselves. No, she did not use her ability to move them. They were made of vampire skin, pieces that Lidia had saved from burning. She'd cut them into circles and sharpened them. Each piece came from a different vampire, ten disks for ten males she'd destroyed during the Trojan War. By taking one piece from each, she was assured that the disks wouldn't be able to join together to form part of a limb or another body part. A vampire can't regenerate a burned body part but all unburnt pieces could come together again.

In war, the disks served as her greatest defense and weapon. She could make them pull together to form a shield other vampires could not break through or hurl them at an enemy, slicing them apart.

It may sound gruesome, but nothing except a vampire can kill another vampire.

Since Paganico had taken control a group of wild newborns, they traveled slowly, providing us with ample time to reach the hills marking the junction of our territories.

Caius dashed around the perimeter, mapping the topography. He looked like a suffering ghost and I voiced my opinion.

"He looks like a long-suffering phantom."

"Aro…" Marcus trailed off, shaking his head.

"That's it? 'Aro'? You're not going to defend him and insult me?" I blinked. Stepping up to him, I began poking him. "Your thoughts are Marcus' but you're not acting like Marcus. Who the hell are you?"

Marcus just rolled his eyes. "I give up with you. You're impossible."

"No!" I exclaimed, aghast. "Where's the fun in that? The whole point of irritating you is to get a rise out of you."

Marcus shrugged.

I proceeded to poke him again. When that got no response, I aimed to smack the back of his head.

One of Lidia's disks slammed into my chest on its flat side, throwing me backward onto the ground. It wiggled on top of me before it rose gently into the air and floated back to the others, freed from the bag and turning in a slow circle around Lidia's head. They looked like a macabre halo revolving around Lamia herself, the legendary vampire-witch. The effect was ruined when Lidia grinned cheerfully.

"Now, Aro," she admonished hypocritically, "violence solves nothing."

I opened my mouth to call her a hypocrite but, when I did, one of the disks rose threateningly into the air. Masking a shudder at the sudden floating disk of vampire flesh, I closed my mouth and it went back down. I opened my mouth again and it slowly went up; I closed my mouth and down it sank. Open slightly, up slightly. Close, down. Open, close. Open…close. Open, close. Op—

"Will you stop it?!" Lidia shrieked.

I kept my mouth shut tightly.

"What's been happening?" Caius walked toward us, glancing quizzically at my sprawled form on the filthy ground.

"Mud is quite good for the complexion," I quipped. "A little mud, a favor from the gods and a miracle and you may become half the man I am."

"I have no desire to become a hermaphrodite, I assure you. Or a woman in the case of becoming the man you are. I thank you for the offer, though."

Lidia snickered.

"All right, we've poked enough fun at poor Aro," Marcus interrupted solemnly. He turned to me. "While you're down, though, _do_ pick up the shreds of dignity you dropped. A woman looks oddly naked without her dignity."

I hurled a rock at his head but it merely paused a few centimeters before his face, turning in a slow circle, before being pelted back at me.

"All right," Marcus hid his laugh behind a cough. "Now we've definitely done enough." He stepped up to me, chuckling. I refrained from formulating my plan until he had already extended his hand so that when he saw the cord signifying our relationship change, it'd be too late. His eyes widened and he tried to jerk his hand back but I grabbed his wrist in a vice-like grip and pulled him down.

"It is said that the greater the man, the greater the fall. Apparently, the opposite is true, as well because _that's_ just pathetic," I said, motioning to his ungracefully sprawled body.

Marcus tackled me and we grappled briefly.

"Will you two idiots stop?" Caius snapped.

"Let them!" Lidia grinned. "I want to see Marcus kill Aro."

"And when the Paganico coven arrives, what then? Aro's an idiot but an idiot that can fight."

"Oy!" I exclaimed indignantly, pulling Marcus into a headlock.

"True," Lidia replied to Caius. She turned to Marcus. "Marcus, will you please stop?" Marcus suddenly craned behind him to grab me and pull me over his head and off him. I hit the ground on my back.

"As you wish, love," he said and, standing quickly, brushed the dust off him. "What do you think Caius?"

I clambered up after Marcus, grumbling to myself about iniquitous cheaters but waiting for Caius' response.

"There are some hills directly between Murlo's territory and Paganico's. There are four passes and two can be easily blocked. The other two are small and we can hold them. The heights will prove another advantage for us. There are some unsteady ledges. Removing some key parts," Caius nodded at Lidia, "will have the entire thing fall on anyone trying to climb up. We can use the rock fall as a diversion to then attack and easily kill the newborns."

"Let's move then," Marcus acknowledged. We ran until we reached the hills Caius had mentioned. The location was further east that I'd imagined. There would be no space to let them push us or we would be in no man's land. Strategically, however, it was perfect. The four passes were quickly found and Lidia simply had to remove three pieces of rock to create a small landslide that blocked the first two. We split up to safeguard the two remaining passes. Lidia took the northernmost pass and one that situated her almost above Marcus, Caius and me, blocking the southern one.

Then, we settled down to wait.

A heavy silence permeated the land. Tendrils of mist had risen and thickened. Not a single animal could be heard in the darkness. We waited in bated silence, unmoving and watchful.

We heard them before we saw them. A series of growls and snarls shattered the choking silence. We froze in place, straining to see through the gathering gloom. One newborn appeared, then two, then four and the three members of the Paganico coven. Doing a rapid count, I realized three newborns were missing and, of the ones present, two had ripped clothing as if from a fight.

Marcus rolled his eyes and held out his hand. His ability made him an incredible adversary in case of war. Marcus, using his power, could pick out the leader. By touching him, I learned who was necessary to kill to have the coven fall apart in disarray—without ever speaking once. Caius only needed to analyze the scene briefly to tell us when and where it would be most opportune to attack or divert. Lidia, with her incredible reach, could cause the greatest amount of chaos among the opposing ranks while keeping a safe distance away.

I barely grazed Marcus' palm and a world of colors bloomed behind my eyes.

The newborns were a veritable rainbow of colors. Aggressive scarlet, black hatred, treacherous dull grey, loyal gold. The newborns were loyal to one member of the coven, Regina, the only female. Amongst the newborns themselves, there were three different vampires the others looked up to.

Four vampires to be killed to have the group splinter into panic. Much better odds that I'd expected.

Lidia poked her cloaked head over the ledge and Caius turned to Marcus. Marcus looked up and signed the description of the four leaders to her. She nodded and ducked back while Caius then turned to watch the newborns.

The wind, luckily for us, blew toward us, bringing us their scent and keeping ours far from them. We braced ourselves as they came closer. We watched as they tried to round the hills but were unable to overcome Lidia's rock slides. Soon, they had no choice but to press up through the hills. Marcus and I waited with bated breath. We could now see and hear them clearly; they were but a few meters below us and coming ever closer into Lidia's range.

Suddenly, the wind changed direction, carrying our scent reeling toward them. They reared, roaring and snarling. The newborns launched themselves at Marcus and me, the closest to them. But we were deeply ensconced within the limits of Lidia's power; by trying to attack us, they set themselves up as targets.

A deafening blow to the rock above Lidia's head tore massive chunks that fell before Marcus, Caius and me and rolled towards the newborns. Several were struck and sent reeling down; others tried to grab onto anything they could for purchase. At that point, Caius, Marcus and I stood and ran forward. I dove at one of the newborn leaders, a slender man with dull brown hair. Distracted as he was by the falling rock, it was much too easy to destroy him.

While I prepared to burn him, another newborn launched herself at me. Three pale disks slammed into her, one slicing across her neck, the other two carving into her chest in an 'X' pattern. She collapsed in pieces. The three disks flew back to Lidia who had jumped down to join us. She waved cheerfully at me as she glanced above her and the rock to her left cratered as if something had struck it and splintered. She seized the rubble mentally and flung them at another newborn, following the blow with two of her disks that quickly severed his torso in half. I could only laugh as she grinned at me before I tackled another newborn.

"Aro!" Marcus yelled. "Stop them!" I glanced where he pointed and saw the Paganico coven trying to escape.

"Lidia, some help!" I called to her as I ran towards them.

Lidia jumped off her ledge and, picking up several stones, flung them before the coven, barring their escape. They turned to face us and one dove at Lidia. She seized her cloak and pulled it off in a single graceful movement, revealing her unearthly beauty. He immediately fell to his knees, enraptured, and the halo of disks hovering around Lidia's head flew at him. I had managed to sever the female's head and neatly avoided the advances of the other; I crouched, ready to attack him when Marcus dove from the side, quartering him.

There were but three newborns left, gaping at us. A feral roar tore from Lidia's throat and they jumped, fleeing in abject terror.

Lidia giggled adorably.

I turned to brag to Caius that I'd killed more than he had, did a double take.

"Where's Caius?" I shot at Marcus. He and Lidia immediately looked around.

"What happened to him?" Lidia asked, eyes widening.

"We need to find him. When did you see him last?" Marcus questioned.

"After Lidia created the avalanche," I responded.

"That's also when I saw him," Lidia nodded. "He couldn't have been killed."

"Look around and come back here," Marcus ordered.

We scoured the ground but it was only littered with the twitching remains of the newborns. I gathered them anyway for burning. It wouldn't do to have them pull together and heal to chase after us.

When I returned, I saw Marcus and Lidia had also gathered some pieces and were dropping them onto a growing pile. Lidia selected five pieces randomly and, using one of her disks, shaped and sharpened them into her favored weapons. Then, she opened her bag and the fifteen disks flew orderly inside.

"He's not among these," Marcus motioned to the quivering pile, "which means he's still alive."

"Where could he have gone?" Lidia asked desperately.

I voiced the name I could tell sprang to their minds without even needing to touch them. "Adelina."

"Aro, you and Lidia need to track him down. I'll join after I take care of this," he said, casting a brief glance at the now violently twitching pile.

"Come," I nodded at Lidia and we ran to where we had last seen Caius. Lidia, who I'd begun to believe had been part bloodhound while human, found his scent and raced after it. It took all the speed I could muster just to keep up with her. Lidia followed swiftly after the trail, as if it were a visible strand she was following. And we plunged ever more deeply into Murlo's region. Signs of the war began to appear: long, jagged tears like open wounds across the earth, trees uprooted, their trunks smashed. And sinister black patches that still smelled of a perfume-like sweetness.

Lidia and I darted through a thicket and a scene of war revealed itself us. Crossing the boundary into Belverde's territory, the three covens were tearing into one another. A loud crack of thunder sounded every time one slammed into the other and vicious snarls and roars suffused the air. Upon first glance, there was no Caius.

"I've lost the scent!" Lidia cried. She sounded close to tears. "There are too many others overlying."

"Head around the perimeter, then, and see if you can find him!" I yelled to Lidia over the noise. "We'll meet directly across from here." She nodded once and we separated.

I dashed around the battle, trying to spot Caius' distinctive white-blonde mane. As I was getting close to Lidia's and my meeting point, a sudden flash of yellow caught my eye, disappearing into a wood. I turned on heel and chased after it. At the edge of the forest, I caught two scents and I immediately recognized one of them. I pushed through the tress until I found myself at the edge of a river. Lying on the banks, his eyes closed, Caius was a too still shadow. Adelina sat next to him, one hand closed around his neck while the other held his severed arm.

Immediately, I roared in fury, my chest rumbling with the force. Adelina jumped. She turned to face as I ran at her. Her eyes narrowed. A soft yellow aura lit around her.

And then the world turned on its head.

As quickly as the earth and the heavens had switched position, they returned to their correct place. But there were a few things wrong. All sounds of fighting had been extinguished as if they had been abruptly cut off. Caius and Adelina had disappeared. There were no stars in the night sky, even the moon was gone. In its place, two orbs now hung in opposite ends of the sky, like eyes. Both moons were painted a vivid red.

"Caius!" I called. Not even the wind answered. My head whipped back and forth, trying to find anyone at all.

Adelina appeared immediately before me.

I cried out in surprise, stepping hastily back. Adelina watched me carefully, her golden head tilted to the side.

"Where is he?" I snarled, quickly regaining my bearings.

"I believe the true question you should ask is _where_ are _you_?" she answered softly. Her voice had a far-away quality, ephemeral almost. I was startled when I saw her eyes. The pupil was a bright blood-red, the iris surrounding it a deep obsidian.

"Where _is_ he?" I repeated.

"Somewhere you cannot get at him."

With a snarled oath, I threw myself at her—and passed _through_ her.

I rolled to a stop and jerked back, gaping at her.

Adelina had not turned around. But something odd was happening to her. Her hair turned paler, corn-silk rather than gold. And she was growing smaller, her clothes metamorphosing into a child's robes. She turned around and my heart seized.

It wasn't Adelina. It was Milena. Milena with her mother's pale hair and her father's gray eyes. Milena, who should have grown up, had a family and died over four hundred years before. Milena, who I'd abandoned to keep safe. Milena, my beautiful daughter who I'd not seen in 487 years.

Milena, who was bleeding to death in front of me.

Her ocean gray eyes beseeched me, one small hand stretching to me. There was a dark hole in the middle of her chest from which a dark, glutinous liquid flowed, devouring the white of her linen robes.

A sudden motion in my hand jarred me. I looked down to see my left hand closed around dark object, one from which poured the same fluid staining Milena's clothes. And object that was _beating_.

"Papa?" Milena's soft voice broke through my stunned horror. She took a step forward and fell.

"Milena!" I cried. I ran to her, grabbing her before she struck ground. "Milena,_Milenita,_ no, please, no," I sobbed. She was a rag doll in my arms, pale and limp. Her eyes fluttered open.

"Papa?" One tiny hand reached up slowly to touch my face, judging me to be real.

"I'm here,_Milenita_, I'm here." I cradled her to me. I still held her heart in my palm and I tried to fit it back into her thin chest. But the more I struggled, the smaller the hole seemed to become and the more blood gushed forth. Dimly, I registered surprise at my lack of distress in the presence of human blood, but the terror that had seized me drove everything from my mind.

"Damn it, Milena! You cannot die! You _will not_ die! I am your father and I am ordering you! Don't _die_!"

Even as I watched, Milena's eyes slowly closed. Her head tilted back on her slender neck. Her small hand, light as a butterfly, fell away from my face.

"Milena." I shook her. "Milena, wake up." A cold horror seized me. Steel vines closed around my heart as Milena remained unnaturally still, inhumanly pale.

"You're not even supposed to be alive now!" I screamed at Milena's pale face.

"You killed her."

My head snapped up at the sound of a voice I had not heard in four hundred years.

The woman's pale blond hair was draped loosely about her shoulders. Her blue eyes condemned me.

"Chiara?" I gasped.

"You killed her," Chiara repeated.

"No, Chiara, I didn't kill her. I didn't want to! I tried to save her; Chiara, you _must_ believe me!"

"Like you didn't kill Mother?"

Leandro, my son, my handsome son who had died from poison mere hours before I was turned, stepped toward me. He continued, "Like you didn't forget about us?"

"I've never forgotten you. Never forgotten."

"No?" Leandro's voice was bitingly scathing. "Like you never forgot above your vow to avenge us. Like you didn't forget about Piero when you met your wondrous _coven_." He spat the last word like a disgusting curse.

All I could do was stare at my son. He was right. I'd forgotten my family, forgotten my past, my purpose. I looked down, unable to look upon Leandro. By avoiding Leandro, however, I looked upon Milena's cool form, her eyes forever shut.

"Forgive me," I whispered brokenly.

"I'm afraid we can't." Chiara's hand rested on my shoulder. When she tilted her head, a long gash was made visible on her slender throat.

Leandro stepped closer. Milena suddenly lurched up, her tiny hands closing around my throat. I choked under the inhuman pressure Milena was producing. My hands shot up to try and remove her hold but Leandro jumped forward and seized my writs, his fingers digging into my skin.

The fire from lack of oxygen suffused my lungs. My vision began to blur as the corners of my eyes darkened.

"Please," I gasped.

Chiara cupped my face in her palms. Her hands were brutally cold.

"You showed us no reprieve." She smiled and her smile was malicious. "Why should we show you any?"

Her fingers caressed my face, then dug into my skin. My scream was cut short when she tore the skin of my face off, the bone crumbling beneath her hold.

My eyes snapped open. I was standing on the banks of the river. There was no sign of that twisted image of my family. Everything appeared normal. I craned my gaze up.

Two red moons crowned the night sky.

I started—and found myself unable to move.

Leandro and Milena planted bright red roses around me. The flower, however, grew much faster than it should. It stretched and wrapped around me like a vine. Chiara held a rose in her hands. When she smiled, two rows of sharp teeth glinted in the scarlet moonlight.

"You're not real," I spat at the aberration masquerading as my wife. "My family is dead. They died years ago. You're not real! You _can't_ be real!"

"I cannot?" Chiara blinked. "Did you hear children? We're not real."

Leandro and Milena giggled.

Smiling, Chiara stepped toward me. "If I weren't real, could I do this?" She took the rose in her hand and stabbed it directly into my heart. Something clenched around my chest and a sharp pain radiated from the quivering flower.

"I'm very real to you," Chiara laughed. She reached out and touched another flower. Immediately, the thorns stabbed out, long and thick, impaling successively, following the curves of the plant around my body.

The pain was too intense for me to even cry out.

When I looked up, the three held long blades which radiated heat. Chiara stepped up to me first, plunging it deeply into my body. I choked on a strangled cry even as Leandro and Milena held their own high above them.

I fell forward. I lay on hands on knees on the soft, green grass. Behind me, I could hear the roar of battle churning.

"Aro!" I recognized the voice as Lidia's but could not help from flinching when her small hands touched my shoulders. "Aro, what is wrong?"

I grabbed her hands. "Ow, Aro, you're hurting me!"

I ignored her as I craned my head up. A waning moon was the only orb in the sky dotted with thousands of stars.

"It was an illusion," I gasped. "It wasn't real. It wasn't real."

"What are you talking about?" Lidia watched me carefully, her face worried.

"How long was I out?"

"You weren't," she blinked. "I saw you when you suddenly ran into the forest and followed. You suddenly roared and ran out. Halfway to Adelina and Caius you fell. I reached you immediately and you winced when I touched you. That's all." She suddenly turned from me, looking behind me. I turned around.

Caius was standing, one hand holding onto his severed arm at the elbow. It was slowly knitting back together. Adelina stood next to him, her body tilted towards him, one hand resting on his good arm.

Caius shook his head. "Rash as always, Aro."

"What did she do to me?" I screamed.

"Plunged you into a world controlled by your deepest fears, your greatest horrors," Adelina responded. Unlike inside the illusion, however, her voice did not retain that dreamy quality.

"You startled us," Caius continued. "I had no time to tell her you weren't a danger."

"Caius!" Behind, Marcus ran toward us. He paused when he saw Adelina. "Who is she?"

Caius straightened. "Marcus, Lidia, Aro, this is Adelina. She is my mate." He turned to me, the corners of his lips twitching. "I do hope you have the sign prepared, Aro. I win the bet."


	9. Illusion Part 4

_I'm bringing home a baby bumblebee,  
Won't my mommy be so proud of me,  
I'm bringing home a baby bumblebee,  
Won't my mommy be so proud of me!  
Ouch! It stung me!_

* * *

Following Caius' announcement, my first reaction was to annihilate Adelina and him. Lidia had to use her power to restrain me. 

Adelina had taken my few memories of my wife and children and utterly corrupted them. Caius had _laughed_.

Actually, killing would be too kind. I was going to torture them until they begged for death _then_ kill them. Slowly.

"Aro, control yourself," Marcus snapped, seeing my reaction. "What happened?"

"She's an illusionist," I snarled, struggling against Lidia's hold.

"She's a what?" Marcus glanced at Adelina. Even without touching him, I knew he immediately understood the implications, and even the possibilities. As an illusionist, Adelina could have Caius trapped within a vision, using him to ensure her survival.

"She has not done anything to me!" Caius glowered at Marcus and me, reading our glances.

"Aro, touch her." Marcus ordered.

"No!" Caius exclaimed, pushing Adelina behind him. His body shook with indignant anger. "We trusted Aro when he came. You trusted me. Why don't you trust Adelina?"

"Because she's a conniving demon!"

"Aro." Lidia intoned carefully, using her power to raise a large rock and dangle it threateningly. "Caius." Lidia spoke softly, her soothing tone reminiscent of a mother calming a frightened child. "You understand that we're not sure about either of you. You ran from us and now we must be sure you really are our Caius. It has nothing to do with her but everything to do with the war." She appealed to his logic. Caius relaxed.

"Fine," he sighed.

"What?" Adelina seized his arm, eyes wide.

"Aro will just see if you're lying, that's all," Marcus explained quickly, answering Adelina but keeping the true reach of my ability secret. "Caius, why don't you submit first so that Adelina sees there is nothing to fear?"

Caius nodded and, holding onto Adelina, walked toward me. He held out his hand.

I learned that when had first attacked, Caius had seized the opportunity and ran. He had gone to the main battle in a desperate search for Adelina. He had finally found her when a brawny newborn was about to attack her from behind. Caius had thrown himself into the fray and the newborn's teeth fastened around his shoulder. When the newborn arched back, he took Caius' arm with him. Adelina had whirled around and narrowed her eyes at the newborn. He had grown absolutely still before collapsing into hysterics. Between the two of them, Caius and Adelina had destroyed him. Then, they had run to find some shelter where Caius could heal. It was at this point I'd reached them and followed after them. Instead of Adelina severing his arm as I'd believed, she had been holding it to his shoulder, allowing the skin to rejoin.

I took a step back.

"There's nothing to fear, you see," Marcus said. "Adelina?"

Watching me suspiciously, she held out her own hand. When I touched her, I was consumed in a cloud of unspeakable horror.

_A woman with long golden hair lying prostrate over her child protectively before being killed._

_A child captured and enslaved._

_The same child, older, sobbing, naked before her laughing masters._

_An eleven year old learning how to find what people most fear._

_An adolescent, cold and hard as silver, inspiring the terror she felt upon those around her._

_A young woman, tied to a stake outside in winter, slowly losing her mind to macabre wraith-like memories._

_Burning, burning, burning, a fire that encompassed her body._

_Hysterical laughter as flames ravaged her body, freezing it, perfecting it._

_A young vampire opens her eyes and looks to the one who turned her, his greatest fears and horrors transferring to her mind. She flinches and tries to throw the images back at him, unable to stand the fear and pain. She succeeds. He freezes for several long seconds and collapses, screaming._

I snatched my hand back.

Her ability was much worse than I'd imagined. Like me, she could access the mind. However, the information she received was limited and she could glean it without need for physical contact. Whereas I received every thought a person had ever had, she accessed only the memories linked to a person's greatest terror. When she accessed their thoughts, she also took over their mind and forced them into a world of her own making. The images she received were the images she projected into her victim's mind. Every illusionary world was different but for certain characteristics. Her victims always saw a yellow aura alight around her when she invaded their mind. Within the illusion, the two red moons, which I'd compared to eyes, appeared. In reality, they_ were_ her eyes, her window to her victim's reactions to her illusions and either make them stronger or soften them depending on her purpose. She needed this entry point into a mind because her power worked quickly. I was under her influence for a second and had felt it lasted an eternity. A human could only endure her gaze for three seconds before they suffered a complete mental breakdown; a vampire lasted three times that amount of time before they too underwent the same effect. And once they went insane, there was no way to return them to their original state. It was why Renatus had Ursula killed. It was vicious and cruel and hateful, and I cringed at the thought of the possibilities.

I then thanked whatever lucky stars I was born under that Caius had stopped her. I like my mind undamaged.

"Aro?" Marcus' thoughts cut through my reverie. Adelina watched me suspiciously. A flicker of fear shadowed her face as she awaited my verdict, knowing I could save her or destroy her with my next words.

"They're telling the truth," I replied tonelessly. Marcus nodded once, turning to observe the pair before us.

"What are we to do now?" Lidia's soft voice was soothing.

Caius blinked. "There is still a war. We fight."

"No." Lidia shook her head. "About her coven. Won't they react violently once they learn she's with us?"

"My coven is dead." Adelina's voice was carefully neutral. "Only the newborns are left and they're loyal to no one."

"Oh, I am so sorry. I did not know." If she had known her longer, Lidia would have been hugging Adelina in sympathy.

Marcus interrupted. "We will finish this," he said, motioning to Caius and Adelina, "later. As I came here, I saw the Lucca coven finally arrive. They've called to us for aid. Aro, find Leo and see what is happening."

"We need to destroy Bagnaria if we are to have any peace and have little time left. When we reach the battle, Marcus and Lidia, head to the right to cut off their escape. Adelina and I will take the left to do the same. Aro, tell Leo to use the Golden Triangle."

I ignored him. Marcus had to repeat the order in order for me to agree to it. Caius rolled his eyes and muttered something about immature idiots.

Each couple ran in the direction Caius specified. Before she left, Lidia dashed to me and threw her arms around me in a brief hug.

_DON'T KILL CAIUS!_ She screamed mentally. I flinched in response and shoved her away playfully.

"I won't kill him," I promised. "I'll just torture him."

"That I can condone." Lidia gave her blessing. She hugged me again and ran after Marcus, waiting for her at the fringe of the forest.

I followed after them briefly until they turned to the right while I continued forward. Amaranta saw me and called off the newborns about to attack me.

"What do you need, Aro?" she shouted over the sounds of fighting.

"Where is Leo?" I yelled back.

"Over here. Come!" She waved me toward her.

Leo was several meters back, fighting three newborns simultaneously. Sofia was in the process of burning two. Amaranta and I each took a newborn away from a defensive Leo, leaving him to finish off the last.

"Aro!" Leo was disturbingly cheerful. And if I say someone is disturbingly cheerful, you can just_ imagine_ how he was acting. The furor of battle had lit a gleam in his eyes and he was grinning gleefully. "What news?"

"We've destroyed the Paganico coven; two newborns survived but the coven itself is dead. The Murlo coven was also eradicated."

"Belverde?"

"Surviving."

"Excellent. Only Bagnaria is left. Your coven?"

"Running alongside the battle to keep the newborns from escaping. Caius sends word to use the Golden Triangle."

"We'll send them some help. We have enough to spare. Amadeus, Amaranta take three newborns each and follow after Marcus and Caius respectively. You'll be attacking with us, Aro?"

"Yes."

Leo clapped his hands, rubbing them together. "Good. Sofia, gather the rest of the newborns. Golden Triangle."

The Golden Triangle, better known as an arrow formation, was one where a group of soldiers aligned into two rows, forming an arrow head. Protected by heavy shields, they would then run through the middle of an opposing line, splitting it in half. The soldiers running behind would then pick out the divided and confused forces. The arrow itself would break apart, the two sides running in opposite sides and turning to close off any escape. Lucca's newborn army would create the arrow head. Marcus and Lidia, Caius and Adelina and the newborns sent with Amadeus and Amaranta would prevent Bagnaria's escape to the sides, trapping them and making them easy targets.

And that was precisely what happened.

Leo's forces plowed through Bagnaria's line. Belverde joined the fray with renewed vigor, attacking the stragglers, the hurt and the confused. Lidia was using her power to herd several newborns into a single, tight group which she then dismembered with some well shot disks. Marcus targeted the leaders, further adding to the confusion. Adelina would ensnare her victims within an illusion for no more than two seconds; it was enough for them to collapse screaming onto the floor, easy targets for Caius to dismember.

I was utterly vicious. Adelina's hallucination had left me shaken and distraught. Every face looked like Piero's. I cleaved through the ranks until my hands and robes were stained with venom and blood, until every vampire ran in terror, until I could not distinguish my own agonized roar amid the rapidly silencing screams.

By midmorning, we finished burning all the corpses. Tall funnels of smoke extended to the sky, suffusing the air with a perfume-like scent.

Lidia had selected ten other pieces to add to her weapons, raising the amount of deadly disks from fifteen to twenty-five. Marcus was deep in discussion with Leo over something. Caius held Adelina tightly to him, afraid to let her go.

The Lucca coven, like us, had survived. The Belverde coven, however, had lost their leader. Following Renatus' death, Adriano became the leader. They took over the Murlo coven's territory while Leo and Marcus split the rest of the territory between them. Lucca's territory incorporated the Bagnario coven's former lands while Volterra claimed the Paganico terrain. This allowed our jurisdiction to extend from Palaia in the north to Manciano in the south. Neither town had been founded by this time but I give you their names now so that you can have some idea of the massive territory we controlled. Moreover, we now possessed Piombino, one of the most important harbors of Etruscan origin. Caius and Lidia were ecstatic at the news.

As this was taking place, I had wandered away, lost in my own thoughts. Movement out of the corner of my eyes caught my attention. A figure wearing a black cloak stood with his back to me under the thick overhang of the trees. Two firm, smooth hands were pulling the hood over his dark hair before he disappeared into the forest. I followed after him. He had run on ahead out of my range of visions and I had to track the scent, the most enticing I had ever known. I lost the trail at a stream. I stood a long while on the banks, the water lapping against my legs. My skin, still smooth and perfect, glittered dazzlingly in the glare of the sun. I bowed my head away from the yellow orb.

On the ground, almost lost among the green grass, was a single strand of hair. I crouched down and picked it up, holding it to the light.

It was a sooty thread, thick and strong. Longer than my arm, it curled softly in the breeze. The scent I'd followed clung to it like a perfume. I drew the image of the figure I'd followed back to my mind and realized he had been very slender, too much so for a man. Whoever I'd been following and who left the hair had been female.

I stood slowly, glancing around me carefully. I could feel someone's eyes upon me.

"Come out!" I called. Nothing but the soft green foliage and even softer breeze greeted me.

With one last look around me, I closed my hand around the dark strand and returned to my coven.


	10. Open Wounds

_I hear thunder, I hear thunder.  
Hark don't you? Hark don't you?  
Pitter, patter raindrops,  
Pitter, patter raindrops,  
I'm wet through; so are you._

* * *

"Did you hear the thunderstorm last night?"

"The children couldn't sleep. They spent half the night crying."

"I heard it was an earthquake near Belverde."

"What earthquake? It was demons fighting, that."

"Demons?"

"Don't listen to him. He's crazy."

"I saw them once! Pale and tall and only coming out at night."

"You did?"

"Raving lunatic."

I pulled my cloak tighter around myself, careful to keep every millimeter of skin covered. Despite the danger of being discovered, I loved spending early mornings in the market. I could listen to the daily gossip, sometimes learning interesting bits of news. That day, the humans were huddled into small, tight groups, eagerly exchanging any theories as to the war two nights before. It was always highly amusing to hear the stories steadily become wilder with each retelling. Like the story of Paris and Helen. Oh, how the historians would revolt upon learning Paris actually _survived _and stole Helen away from Troy, fleeing for Italy. Or that Lamia, condemned as a child-killing witch, actually saved the children and raised them as her own. That Gaius Julius Caesar's ancestor was still alive if a bit embittered and Machiavelli's teacher would read _El Principe_ hundreds of years after the author's death and be transported to those lessons in oratory and politics wherein said teacher's greatest student was born.

Despite any negative opinions you may have of us, directly or indirectly, we've played an important role in history, human and vampire alike. The first step to our power was taken unconsciously, a mere response to a war that had engulfed us. Thanks to that simple trigger, we controlled one of the largest areas in the Italian peninsula. Volterra had attained the height of its human reign; it was the most important city in the Etruscan civilization. And as the Etruscans gained power, they began to ignore the tales of "demons." Poor arrogant fools. Even then humans shunned those who dared speak of us "mythological" creatures.

I looked after the old man, vainly trying to convince the others he was speaking the truth. Finally, he shuffled away, defeated. I stood and followed him. He wandered down the smaller winding streets. When his heartbeat jumped, I guessed he'd realized I had been following.

Turning around quickly, his voice shook as he stammered, "I know what you think of me! But you don't need to follow a poor old man and frighten him!"

Oh, I am good!

I stepped closer, settling into a deep shadow cast by the buildings. "I do apologize for startling you. It was not my intention. I'd listened to your discussion and something you spoke of interested me. However, I did not believe addressing it before that group would have been conducive to proper conversation."

The old man's eyes glazed over upon listening to my vocabulary. He caught the gist of it, however.

"I saw them, three of them." He looked ecstatic to have a willing audience. "My daughter lives in Mensano and she lost a child to Lamia. The witch spirited my grandson away. I stayed with her and, three nights later, I saw three pale figures jumping over the city wall and then I couldn't see them anymore." He bent close and, in a conspiratorial whisper, said, "I think those demons can fly."

I stifled the snicker threatening to escape me. "Let's pray not, else nowhere will be safe," I replied seriously. "And I am sorry for the loss of your grandson." My words were sincere and I laid a sympathetic hand on his arm. I thanked him for his time and struck him dully on the back of his head. He immediately collapsed. I did not kill him. Rather, it served a double-purpose. On the one hand, it destroyed his short-term memory (obviously, I did not know it by that term at the time, but I had observed in humans a limited amnesia that erased all memories following a blow to the head) so he'd conveniently forget our encounter. On the other hand, it sent him reeling into unconsciousness. It was the least I could do; the child's disappearance had not let him sleep a night through for weeks.

Gently grabbing him by his arms, I laid him upon the steps of a nearby house so no one would trip over him. Straightening, I meandered back to the market, looking for anything even remotely entertaining.

A play was being announced and I cheerfully strode to the area designated. A foot shot across my way, almost tripping me.

"Why are you avoiding me?" Like me, Lidia was cloaked, hers a beautiful, soft yellow. Unlike me, annoyance laced with hurt twisted her ethereal features.

"Am I?"

Lidia's frown grew more pronounced in response. "Yes, you fool."

"Forgive me if I hurt you, my dear. It was not my intention to avoid you." Even though it _was_. "There is just an interesting play taking place today." Translation: I'd rather watch our food play than head back to the palazzo. "And I am simply dying to see it." Because if I returned home, either I would die or I would kill Adelina. "What could have made you think otherwise?" What indeed.

"What indeed." Lidia crossed her arms before her.

Damn, I _am_ good!

"Rather," she continued acerbically, "I believe you are trying to avoid me. All of us, in fact, seeing as you'd rather watch a mediocre play interpreted by what will become your meal than be with us. It's not as if you ought to fear for your life or Adelina's. Do you honestly think I would let you kill her or her you?"

Damn it, she knew me too well.

Her features softened. "Come home, Aro. I miss you."

"Don't lie. All you miss is having a personal moving target."

"Which means I _do_ miss you."

I rolled my eyes. "You are a pest."

"You _do_ love me!" she gushed.

"You _have_ been around Adelina too long." I placed a hand over her forehead, as if checking for a fever. "I always suspected, but that delusion proves you're insane."

She slapped my hand away, I shoved her and she tripped me.

Yes, Lidia and I were always very mature around one another.

The reason she was "missing" me—though I will argue from here until the end of the world that all she missed was someone against whom she could contest—was that, for the last two days, I had been avoiding my coven as much as possible. The day after the battle, I had _not_ been in the best of possible moods and, knowing my temper, I felt it better to avoid them than risk getting angry. Not looking at Adelina meant being able to ignore painful thoughts, something I was happy about. Unfortunately, that had also meant avoiding Lidia who was trying to forge a relationship with Adelina. Despite our outward appearance of near-constant, vicious fighting, Lidia was my younger sister, one I loved to play with and taunt mercilessly. So, I took a deep breath and turned in the direction of the palazzo.

Lidia seized my arm. "Where are you going?"

I looked at her as if she had sprouted two heads. "Home," I replied slowly, in case Caius had begun rubbing off on her.

"Why?"

Well, that answered my question as to whether she had been around Caius too long.

I blinked in response. "Why shouldn't I? Isn't that what you wanted me to do, return?"

"No," she giggled, "though I'm delighted you'd do so just for me."

I simpered mockingly.

"I just wanted to spend some time with you. Let's go see this play." Her eyes glinted mischievously. "We can mock it. You know you like making fools out of fools."

Looking at her suddenly excited face, I couldn't help it. I threw my head back and laughed. She grinned widely, pleased with my response. Already, I felt better than I had in a few days.

For the next couple of hours, we gleefully criticized the play. I surmised the play was a tragedy; I was too distracted by the horrid acting and Lidia standing up to teach the actors how to properly dramatize their own death to pay attention to the details. Watching a certain immortal woman dance toward the center, then stage her death left me holding my sides from laughter. If I could have cried, I would have. Then, the little witch had the gall to call me up to teach them how to project! Still laughing, I joined Lidia and the troupe of actors. Lidia had them all wrapped around her little finger, so they gladly welcomed me. Just one example of how endearing Lidia could be was that she could make friends with people who, five minutes before, she had been insulting. With Lidia in charge of body language and facial expressions, I handled projection, enunciation and intonation.

"Projection," I began, "is extremely important and not only in the realm of acting. Projection is the ability to be heard without needing to yell. The audience must be able to hear you clearly, but you must not scream. Screaming damages your voice, not to mention you will not be understood well. So, let us begin with some vocalization exercises."

"I don't need them," a short man with an exaggerated amount of eyebrows interrupted. "I can project."

I arched an eyebrow. "Can you? Let us hear then."

"TESSA, MY LOVE! OPEN THE DOOR!"

"What are you doing? I told you not to yell!" I snapped, uncovering my ears.

"I'M NOT! I'M PRO-JEC-TING!" he yelled, enunciating carefully.

I promptly slapped him with the script. "No, you are an i-di-ot," I mocked him. His companions snickered.

A few hours later, they were acting beautifully, even for human standards. They begged us to remain for the show and Lidia and I obliged. The crowd, jeering them before, was now hushed in awe and slowly building as word reached others until the plaza was packed with people. Lidia and I sat in the honored platform, which was a bit higher than the others and made it easier to enjoy the play. By the end, most of the crowd had been reduced to tears. Lidia and I grinned at each other, delighted by the actors' improvement. When it ended, at the magnificent finale, the troupe received a standing ovation. They ran to us, thanking us profusely and trying to give us a portion of their winnings. Lidia and I refused at first, but finally accepted a few coins to honor them. Amidst laughter and cheers, we bid farewell and Lidia and I headed home.

Halfway out of the plaza, Lidia's face suddenly lit in a beatific smile and she veered away. Marcus leaned against a wall, smiling at her. As Lidia danced toward him, his arms opened and he grabbed her by the waist, lifting her easily off the ground. He twirled her, holding her tightly to him. Her silvered laughter brought a smile to all who heard her. Several men glared enviously at Marcus. For a very,_ very_ short moment, I had to admire how beautifully they seemed to complete each other. Still holding her to his side, Marcus mockingly glared at me.

"Un-be-lievable," he drawled. "You abandon us to teach humans how to act. You are a constant surprise."

"And a delight," I quipped.

"No. I've yet to discover anything delightful about you."

I rounded on Lidia. "Do you _see_ how your mate treats me? Aren't you going to defend me?"

"Not at all," she replied brightly. Her smile was dazzling. "You're not as pretty."

While I scoffed, Marcus raised an eyebrow at Lidia. "That's why you love me? Because of how I look?"

Lidia smiled mischievously. She trailed her fingers up his arm. "That…and a few other things."

I mimed retching and Lidia picked up a rock—with her hands, surprisingly enough—and threw it at me.

As we headed back to the palazzo, my cheer began to fade. By the time Caius greeted us at the doors, I was in a foul mood.

"Caius, no." Marcus frowned before Caius had even opened his mouth.

I shoved past him, but his voice followed me.

"Are we to keep catering to his childish whims?" Annoyance crept over Caius' face, his voice colored darkly. "Marcus, you feed his absurd needs and it must stop."

I shut the wide double doors on his ridicule and turned to face Adelina. Lidia had taken her to a famed tailor and had several gowns made. She wore a celestial blue dress with a double fold in the skirt. Her belt was edged in gold as was her jewelry and her pale hair was loose around her face, smooth and vacant of all expression. Her scarlet eyes followed me as I walked away from her.

"She haunts you, doesn't she." It was not a question. I paused, feeling Adelina's eyes on my back. "Chiara. Did you love her?"

I whirled, gaping at her—unbelieving that she would question me as to that. She misunderstood my expression.

"It's my ability," she explained. "I learn the things that hurt you most and—"

"Learn how to destroy your victim utterly without ever laying a hand on them," I finished bitterly. I felt a dark smile carve across my face. "Yes, I'm well acquainted with how your ability works."

Adelina's eyes widened, surprise spasming across her delicate features. "How can you? No one but Caius knows precisely what I can do."

My laugh was cold; I drew one of the large coins the actors had given to Lidia and me from my pocket, mindlessly threading it through my fingers. "You were lied to. I do not simply know if someone is lying. I learn every thought you have ever had. So, I've known of your ability."

Adelina stepped back hastily, one hand raised to her mouth. "You…know…every _thought_?" Horror colored her voice. At my brisk nod, her eyes lit in an indignant, hateful fire. "How dare you, you—you—" Words failed her in her anger. "My thoughts are my own!" she hissed dangerously. "What gives you the right to view them?"

"Why, you." My eyes widened in faux innocence. "You held out your hand."

Adelina's look turned murderous. A soft, golden light immediately suffused her body.

I smiled sweetly at her, still playing with the coin.

I was ready for her illusion and recognized it immediately. The sudden loss of noise, the feeling of heaven and earth changing positions. And, what I'd been looking for: two scarlet moons crowning the sky, visible through the high windows. Still smiling, I looked down at my hand. It was open, the coin seemingly gone. I laughed and, taking my empty hand, I arched it back, hurling nothing at the point between and immediately below the two moons. A sudden short cry of pain shattered the silence and the illusion around me flickered and collapsed into nothing. My smile widening, I glanced at Adelina, who was holding a hand to her forehead in shock. The coin, bent, clattered to a stop on the tile.

How could a coin hurt her you ask? Throw anything hard enough and fast enough and it will hurt. Simple physics. As for how I could break her illusion, I'd been alive for five hundred years. I learn quickly, particularly when able to touch another. From touching her, I learned how to defeat her illusions.

"How could you—?" she gasped.

My lips twisted in a grotesque impersonation of a smile. "I have no desire to learn your mind. I will not touch you. Neither will you ever trick or torture me again. And now," I inclined my head in a mocking bow, "if you will excuse me."

As I continued to my bedroom, Adelina's words rang in my mind.

_She haunts you, doesn't she._

Yes, Chiara haunted me. As did Leandro and Milena. My human family was a constant reminder of my failure, an unceasing sign of my inability to destroy the man who had ripped a life from me. My glee with finding Lidia, Marcus and Caius had driven Piero from my mind, but Adelina had brought his memory violently back into focus. I could no longer allow myself to be distracted.

Taking a satchel, I packed a spare set of robes and my money. I cast a look around the room, committing it to memory. Then, I walked out.

I stumbled upon Lidia on the staircase and she glanced at my set expression and the bag on my shoulder. A sudden realization crept onto her divine face, her gem-like eyes fearful.

"Where are you going?" Her voice was a soft bell, shy and unsure.

"I am leaving."

"Why?" Distress colored her voice, softened it until it was but a quiet gasp. A sudden guilt infused me as I saw her heavenly features twist in pain. "You can't go," she whispered, voice breaking.

"I'll send messages when I can." I avoided her questions and stepped past her.

Distantly, I heard her run, a rustle of silk. "Marcus!" she screamed.

I ignored Caius and Adelina in the main room, Caius starting in surprise, Adelina's look a mix of fright and unwilling respect.

I fled the city under cover of darkness. I waited momentarily, listening for the sounds of anyone following me. I expected Lidia to settle beside me, but it was Marcus instead. I was, however, not surprised.

Unlike Lidia, who would have latched onto my arm and begged me to tell her why I was leaving, Marcus did not speak. It's a trait of his I have long admired. Raised like Anna in Asia Minor, they both are a mix of what you now call Western and Eastern influences. Unlike in the so-called Western world where all lulls in conversation are immediately filled and silence is deemed as awkward, Marcus and Anna understood the power of silence, how it could soothe, comfort and invite more information than questions.

"Silence does not give consent," Anna would argue with me later. "Silence provides knowledge."

"Questions are necessary to extract knowledge, more so than silence," I would counter.

Anna would smile her slow, small smile, the one that made her carmine eyes darken and told me I'd lost.

"You're wrong," she would say simply. "Through questions, you receive only the information you want and, sometimes, not even that. Questions can be answered ambiguously. By observing and waiting patiently, however, you will find yourself in possession of the information you _need_."

When she learned about my ability, she used it as one of her weapons, stating succinctly how I did not speak when I used it, but listened, asking nothing and learning everything.

The silence debate is one of the arguments—and they're very few, I can assure you—in which I cannot defeat her. Even if she begs to differ.

And so it was with Marcus. He spoke not a word, but his figure was calm and tranquil and I soon found myself at ease. He did not question me or press me, but I began to speak, telling him of what had happened in the past two days. I will not reiterate what I told him as it is just a summation of what I've told you. I spoke to him of the effect Adelina's illusion had wreaked upon me and the horrid reminder that Piero was still alive. I could not move on until that part of my life was finally dealt with and I either destroyed it or was destroyed by it.

When I finished, Marcus slowed to a halt and turned to face me. "Where shall we head first?"

I blinked. "Pardon?"

"Where do we begin to look?" Marcus paraphrased, his tone gentle. "You can't imagine I would let you go alone?"

"And what about Lidia? Aren't you her permanent accessory?"

"Are you suggesting I'm incapable of surviving half a day without her?"

"I'm suggesting no such thing. I'm sure I said it clearly."

The corners of Marcus' mouth twitched into a small smile. "Very well, you know my weakness. I'm still coming with you."

"Why?" My tone was carefully neutral.

"I promised you once I would aid you in your search." Marcus shrugged. "I would be remiss to renege on my pledge now."

I felt very touched at that moment. Of all of us, Marcus was always the empathic soul, but I was still overcome by his willingness to leave Volterra to help me.

"Aro," his tone was gentle, "come back. Lidia has contacts throughout Europe and Asia. We can track him from Volterra and, once we find him, we shall all come with you and help you in any way. But, for now, come home."

I looked at him for a long time. "How soon is Lidia expected to be here?"

"In a few minutes."

"She's going to hit me if I don't return with you, isn't she?"

"Now, Aro, Lidia is a delicate soul, never violent."

I arched an incredulous eyebrow.

Marcus smiled, raising hands as if to admit defeat. "Although with you, a different facet of her personality does tend to appear," he acknowledged. "If only you didn't irritate her so."

"_I_ irritate _her_? Dear gods, you _are_ blinded by her."

"She _is_ very beautiful."

"You're pathetic."

Marcus only laughed. "Let's go home, Aro."

The trip to Volterra passed silently until we reached the outer wall.

"Aro?" Marcus began hesitantly.

"Hmm?"

"I feel I must speak to you about this now."

I stopped. "What is it?"

"Do you remember that chess game you and Caius played where you made a bet?"

"Yes…"

"You lost the bet. I tried to talk to Caius, but all I could do was tone down the sign a bit. It was going to be massive."

There was a pregnant pause.

I turned right back around, prepared to flee as fast as I could.

"Aro! You've returned!" I barely had time to turn when a red-haired whirlwind flew into me, slender hands wrapping tightly around my waist. My hands settled on her clothed shoulders, as if to push her away.

"Hello, Lidia." I gasped. "Would you mind—?"

"Yes," she quipped, refusing to let go. She looked up, her ruby eyes beseeching. "Don't leave, Aro. Who will I hurt if you're gone?"

"Caius," I replied promptly.

Marcus snickered. "Oh, she did."

"She did what?"

"Hit Caius."

"You did?" I questioned the now sheepishly grinning vixen who had finally let go.

"It wasn't the same." She shook her head sadly. I held out my hand and she rested her palm on mine.

Immediately, the scene as I had left it unfurled in my mind: Caius insulting me and Lidia's progressively deteriorating tolerance until—

"You made him run into a wall?"

"Then threw him out a window," Lidia finished proudly. "Only_ I_ am allowed to insult, malign, abuse, criticize and otherwise make you feel inferior."

I was amazed. "Striking Caius instead of me. I am stunned."

"Oh, that reminds me!" Lidia, smiling sweetly, closed the distance between us—and slapped me. "That's for making me think you were abandoning us, you idiot!" she snarled.

As Lidia glowered at me, Marcus clapped me on the shoulder. Sympathetically, he said, "You brought this upon yourself."

Considering how his mate was present and not happy with me, I refrained from decking him.

Family. Laughing together, playing together, and beating one another. What fun.

Once she overcame her initial annoyance, Lidia sent word to her many contacts, asking for any knowledge about a vampire once known as Piero Acerbi. Solid leads began to appear, pinpointing a trail that had begun in southern Gaul—a region you now know as France—and trailed throughout southern Europe and Asia Minor.

As the months passed, Adelina was accepted by all as another member of the coven and Caius and I returned to our usual bantering.

I _did_ have to wear the bloody idiot sign. Damn that Caius.

Volterra was prosperous and our coven grew stronger, wealthier and more powerful.

Of course, something bad was about to happen. And the most unlikely event of all heralded it. The Belverde coven leader had fallen in love.


	11. Ante Bellum Part 1

_The animals came in two by two;  
Vive la compagnie!  
The centipede with the kangaroo.  
Vive la compagnie!_

* * *

The last vestiges of fall died away, the mild winter shyly taking Italy for herself. Poor Demeter, losing her precious daughter once again.

I considered Persephone, trying to imagine how she must still feel. Did she despise Hades for feeding her the pomegranate seeds? Did she feel her skin crawl, revulsion rise like bile at her throat whenever she looked at him? Or had she come to care for him after so much time, this miserable God of the Dead? Could Persephone, beautiful and bright as spring, ever love Hades?

The story revolved in my mind as I gazed across the smooth expanse of the river. I selected a smooth stone from the pile at my feet and, with an expert flick of the wrist, watched it skip across the water's surface, once, twice, five, eight times before sinking out of sight.

I shook my head, wondering how I had been brought to the river's edge to ponder a failed—or perhaps not?—love story. Immediately, images of the past few weeks flashed across my mind.

As much as I'd like to skip to the truly exciting portions, this part must be told for your understanding. So, bear with me for a few moments more.

One full month had passed. Blessed peace.

Adelina avoided me most of the time. During the few times that we did find ourselves together, we gradually overcame our aversion to each other. Unlike Lidia who was exuberant and colorful, Adelina was quiet, more reserved in manner and expression. At one point, I even pitied her. Her past was the most horrifying I had ever encountered, her ability a double-edged sword. To learn the nightmares others possessed, she had to expose herself to them—endure them. Every time she looked upon someone's horrors, she compared them to her own hauntings, knowing that they would never be equal. By realizing the others' to be less, she was able to tolerate this abuse long enough to turn it onto her victim. After all, there truly is little worse than eighteen years spent locked in a small, windowless room, subjected to every abuse and every whim of a master and his son. Still, her ability took a huge mental toll on her— she never exposed herself unnecessarily. She attacked only when she felt endangered or when she was particularly infuriated.

My first rational conversation with Adelina occurred a week after one of Lidia's contacts sent her a message that had me walking on air. He had known Piero when Piero lived in Byzantium (the original town of Byzantium, not the massive city which it would become). He had several human servants conscious of what he was, but only one other vampire with him—his mate. They had left Byzantium about two years before, but the contact promised to try and unearth where he had gone.

I was poring over a map of the Mediterranean area, trying to guess Piero's most likely route when I heard the soft rustle of Adelina's robes as she stepped inside the door, closing it gently behind her. Her steps made no sound as she glided towards my bent form, stopping just across from me. Her eyes swept across the map.

"Will you kill him when you find him?" Her tone clashed with her words. She could have been asking me if my robes were new or if I had seen Caius recently.

"Yes," I replied.

"Lucky," she said almost to herself. "I don't have that luxury." Her hands clenched shut, the knuckles showing absolutely white.

I knew why she did not have that luxury. I also knew she hated my even hinting at the knowledge I'd taken from her. I didn't feel like fighting that morning; I was in too good a mood. "Why not Adelina?" I asked her, appearing curious.

"The turning killed him. The only satisfaction I have comes from surviving something he did not. But, it's not the same. It's nowhere near enough."

Adelina's fair face was calm. During those days when we had not patched things over yet, I was always surprised at how someone so hateful could be so stunningly beautiful. In one way, she was much more handsome than Lidia because Lidia's beauty was so extreme it perturbed all who looked upon her too long. That day, I was also surprised at her steady tone. She was almost as good as me at hiding her true emotions. She could not, however, control the lines standing out in her hands, or the shaking that suffused her palms. Her hands were the only signs of the fury she still carried.

Trying to distract her, I mused off-handedly, "Hmm, well, I can let you do what you will to Piero provided I get the final blow."

Adelina started in surprise. A vicious smile lit her face. "That sounds like it could be fun." Her smile faded and she glanced at the floor for a long time. When she looked at me again, her smile was hesitant, as if unsure of me. "Truce?"

It was my turn to react in surprise. I could sense no insincerity in her voice. "Truce." I smiled.

Adelina's smile widened. I turned back to the map as she floated to the door.

"Oh Aro?" Adelina paused, looking back momentarily.

"Yes?"

"I feel I ought to warn you. Caius has finally made the sign."

I didn't understand for a moment. Then, it struck me. "No," I gasped in horror.

"Good luck," she said simply before closing the door.

I promptly called Caius a putrescent toe-rag in every language I knew. Damn him.

While peace had finally descended on our coven—relatively speaking—outside Volterra, a new war loomed, far different from the preceding one.

Lidia danced towards me a few weeks later, a mischievous smile lighting her face. "You will never guess what has happened."

"Caius has finally learned basic sums."

At the other side of the room, Caius raised his head from where he had been conversing with Adelina, one eyebrow arched. I smiled innocently at him.

"No, you know only a miracle from the gods could make Caius do such a thing," Lidia replied glibly. I snickered at the look on Caius' face.

"Aro, your sign is crooked. It makes you look even more like a hypocritical idiot," he called. My snicker died a premature death. I scowled at him.

"Listen to me!" Lidia interrupted before Caius and I began an argument. "There is a new member in the Belverde coven. It seems as if the leader has taken her for a mate."

"If that's true, it raises their number again to three. Moreover, if she is Adriano's mate, it would make him that much more protective," Caius mused.

"Do the other covens know already?" Marcus had walked in to hear Lidia telling us of the new female.

"No," Lidia replied, facing him. "We're the first."

"We'll have to find some way to learn about her, see if she possesses any extraneous capabilities that could make her a threat to us." Caius continued, thinking aloud. At his words, Caius, Marcus, Lidia and Adelina each turned to face me as one.

"Oh no. Last time I wanted to go, but you said Caius had to be the one. Why not send him?" I subtly shoved the sign under my sash, itching to rip it to pieces.

"Is the little boy annoyed he didn't get his way?" Caius taunted.

"Yes, but the little boy will feel much better when he grabs this sign and shoves it—"

"Aro." Marcus frowned. Lidia laughed and Adelina smiled. "There is no war council so you are best suited. Besides, you could return with a mate as well. That sign is quite attractive."

Even Adelina snickered at my furious look.

We sent a message to Belverde, requesting an audience to offer our congratulations and meet the female. An enthusiastic yes was returned.

One evening, in the midst of preparations, I stumbled upon Lidia and Marcus, half-hidden in the shadows. I hurried away to grant them their privacy, but I heard something that drew me up short.

"Do you promise?" Lidia's voice was low. I could feel the dazzling smile in her tone.

"Of course," said Marcus and I could just see him brush a titian strand of hair away from Lidia's face. "I told you I would plan the grandest wedding for you and I shall."

I left them to avoid overhearing anymore. The prospect of a wedding bothered me. I knew Lidia was much more tied to her human past than anyone else; she still retained almost all her memories whereas the rest all suffered from varying degrees of memory loss. (If you must know, the order form most to least was Lidia, Caius, me, Marcus, Anna and Adelina, with the last two having done their utmost to forget as much as they could.) This loss led to an estrangement between our vampiric present and human past, which usually leads to our viewing you not as the creatures we once were, but as a separate species, one that we must feed upon to remain above our baser instincts. That was why the idea of a wedding, such a human notion, seemed strange, almost ridiculous. We do not require a superfluous binding ceremony. Vampires do not leave their mates. We _cannot_. And such a _human_ ceremony seemed, well, stupid.

But, Lidia was always different. She held on to her human memories with such ferocity it was frightening. This closeness to humans was what had lead her to take measures to "humanize" our feeding habits, mainly kill the human quickly and without their noticing before feeding upon them.

I had no time to question them later, however. A mere three days before our meeting, the Belverde coven was annihilated. The female that had entered their ranks was a traitor. She had seduced Adriano to make it easy for her own coven to destroy them and take their territory. It had happened so quickly, we knew nothing about it until we received a missive specifying that there had been a change in power in Belverde and an invitation to meet with the new coven and to consider forging an allegiance to defend our common territory.

"It sounds like a trap," Adelina stated matter-of-factly after she finished re-reading the note. It was only through Lidia's contacts that we had learned of the Belverde coven's true violent end. We weren't surprised at the news—power often times changed hands so quickly it was almost ridiculous—but we had not heard of a coven destroyed so easily, especially one as strong as the Belverde had been.

"The other covens have also received similar messages." Lidia sat beside Marcus, her delicate hand held in his. "If it is a trap, it is odd that they would invite all the powerful covens in the area. How can they hope to subdue them all?"

"It's strange either way." Caius massaged his right temple. "If we do not go and it proves to be an honest meeting to forge alliances, we may lose a lot of influence. Lidia said Lucca had already agreed to meet with them and Leo has had his eye on Volterra for a long time. We can't afford to give Lucca any sort of advantage. On the other hand, if it is a trap, well, between Lidia and Adelina we have very little to fear, don't we?" Caius smirked.

Marcus nodded slowly. "We'll have to risk it," he pronounced. "We'll go, but keep a sharp eye out. At the first suspicious moment, we leave."

By the time we arrived at Belverde five days later, the Lucca coven, along with several other powerful covens of the Italian peninsula, were assembled. Our hosts had not yet made an appearance. However, they had arranged for excellent entertainment. A young vampiress sang a soprano of unearthly beauty, accompanied by a small troupe of musicians. An area had been cleared for dancing. A heady din of laughter and gossip suffused the air.

I quietly observed the scene. There were four doors, but only two were large enough to prove troublesome to block. One led further into the palazzo while the other was the one through which we had entered. We remained close to this door, standing on a corner of a slightly elevated dais where the musicians were assembled and from where we had an excellent view of the room and its occupants. Leo was showing off to a group of interested vampires. From his movements, I had no doubt he was exaggerating his role in the past war. Keeping to themselves, the Roman coven kept glancing furtively around them. I couldn't blame them for their paranoia; Rome was a no man's land. A new coven took control what seemed like every other week. There was even a Greek coven, surprisingly enough; the men were sheer muscle and the two females weren't far behind. I guessed them to be from Sparta.

"Stop fidgeting," Lidia hissed at me, interrupting my reverie.

"It's not my fault," I snapped. "This wretched sign won't stay under my sash."

Caius actually had the gall to snicker.

Before I could tell him exactly what he could do to himself, a human male appeared opposite us before the second large door. The presence of a human stunned most of the vampires assembled into silence and the others hushed when he spoke. "Good evening to all assembled. I have the honor tonight of presenting to you my masters: Piero, Livius and Anna."

A sudden cold suffused me.

Behind him, three figures appeared. Livius was scowling. He was dressed in expensive-looking clothing, but he looked more bitter and haggard than ever before. Next to him, in the middle, Piero smirked. His red eyes carefully traced over the crowd. His clothing and manner were a testament to his success after leaving Ticinum. A sharp hatred flooded my dead veins. Almost without meaning to, I glanced to his left at the last member of the coven, prepared to despise her for her affiliation with Piero.

If my heart had been beating, it would have stopped. Even so, I felt a sharp clenching feeling in my chest.

She wasn't the most beautiful vampire I had seen. Adelina and Lidia outstripped her by far. But I had never before encountered such a seductive or commanding presence. The sole female before me was sheer temptation. She wore a white tunic of such fine material it was almost translucent and, while it covered her efficiently, it enticed the imagination. A gold belt emphasized her diminutive waist while the skirt clung to her, showcasing her firm legs while revealing nothing at the same time. Her long black curls were pulled away from her face with a series of golden circlets that made it seems as if it were a black cascade flowing down her back. A red mantle settled over her shoulders, richly embroidered with gold and rubies. Her only piece of jewelry was a set of triangular golden earrings. The gold, red and black contrasted beautifully with her pale skin and set off her rich crimson eyes. A small smile adorned her full lips.

An aching longing awoke within me as I beheld Anna for the first time. Instead of hating her as I wished, I wanted her as I'd never coveted anything before.


	12. Ante Bellum Part 2

_Curly-locks, Curly-locks, wilt thou be mine  
Curly-locks, Curly-locks, wilt thou be mine?  
Thou shalt not wash dishes, nor yet feed the swine;  
But sit on a cushion, and sew a fine seam,  
And feed upon strawberries, sugar, and cream._

* * *

I shall never forget my first glance of Anna. She didn't even look at me. It was a crushing blow to my ego.

But then that's Anna. A keen eye for detail and great talent for observation, yet she could be infuriatingly oblivious. I remember one day I decided to forego my usual dress code and wear clothing according the age's fashion. I ordered the latest designs from Rome, powdered my hair, even put on make-up as it was the style at the times for men to do so. When I presented myself before Anna expecting praise, she looked around me.

"Aro, move aside. You're blocking the light."

I was devastated.

That day, back in Belverde, Anna was looking to Piero, a small, mysterious smile playing at her lips. Even as I watched, one firm, smooth hand with long, delicate fingers reached out to grasp Piero by the elbow. He turned slightly to her and one hand wrapped itself around hers. He smiled at her and whispered something that made her laugh.

Piero then turned to the assembled covens, which had fallen silent. "Welcome." He smiled. His voice was strong, the type that controlled a crowd easily. "Welcome to Belverde. My name is Piero and I speak for my coven and myself when I thank you for coming here tonight."

His words grated on my ears. I felt an uncontrollable quiver suffuse my hands. They clenched shut, imagining they were wrapping around his neck. My upper lip curled upward, wanting to become a snarl.

Marcus watched me carefully; his scarlet eyes narrowed. Piero continued speaking and, when he finished, applause greeted him.

Piero, Livius and Anna walked down the stairs to join the throng circling them. The young vampiress began singing again. Laughter and light-hearted chatter permeated the air.

I quietly planned from which direction it would be most propitious to attack.

Marcus grasped my elbow. "I don't know what happened, but killing him right now will lead to nothing."

"That Piero was the vampire who turned me." Hatred lined my words like a blade. "He killed my father and my son."

Marcus' eyes were suddenly sympathetic. "I understand your anger," he whispered. "I do. But you cannot do anything now. It'll be suicide, for you and for the rest of us. Before you argue with me, let me finish. I promised you I would help you and I will. But use that blessed intelligence you have and consider what the consequences of your actions will be if you do anything now."

I glared at Marcus. Finally, I took a deep breath, closing my eyes briefly. I nodded and Marcus smiled, his manner comforting.

"Come then." He motioned to Lidia, Caius and Adelina. "We're leaving now."

Lidia floated to my side, one hand reaching out to take mine. _What's wrong, Aro?_ "What is it?" she asked audibly.

"No, it's me," Marcus lied smoothly. "There is something I don't like here. An odd feeling." Caius frowned slightly at Marcus' explanation, but did not oppose it.

I glanced at Adelina. She knew who Piero was and must have known what I was planning. She watched me closely and, though her features were closed, I could read sympathy in the lines of her body. She floated towards me.

"Ten seconds," she said. "All you have to do is defend me."

A dark smile crossed my face at her words.

"As tempting as that sounds, I want to destroy him myself," I whispered.

"The offer remains," she answered. Then, she turned away from me, discarding me, and hugged close to Caius.

We walked calmly towards the doors. Marcus and Lidia glided alongside me. A brush against Marcus' elbow revealed his need to remain near me to keep me from doing something drastic. At any other time, it would have irritated me, but it was strangely endearing. A voice floated toward us.

"What a surprise. Aro? Or is it Deofilion, now?"

My coven and I turned as one. His arms crossed before him, Livius glowered at me, a hateful smile transforming his face.

"Livius, always a pleasure to see you." I bowed mockingly. Lidia subtly stepped on my foot in response/ reproach. Livius began shaking with anger.

"Did you see?" Livius asked, motioning to Piero and Anna, who were conversing with Leo. "I found your friend. Not even a year after you left. It seems like your luck truly is fatal."

At his words, a violent case of déjà vu overtook me.

Already distraught, I couldn't control myself. "That's odd. It seems to me that I wasn't the one with the fatal enough luck to lose a mate."

Livius' smile disappeared. His face turned forbidding. "That's because you killed her," he snarled.

Lidia gasped.

"I did no such thing," I answered him, but directed my response to Lidia. "You really should learn to lay blame correctly." While I did not mean it that way, my tone made it sound as if I blamed him for Fortunata's death.

Livius swore and his knees bent slightly to dive at me. He froze in place. A glance to my left revealed a tensed Lidia, frowning at him.

"Livius, what is happening here?"

Marcus groaned quietly. Piero and Anna had joined us. Piero glanced fleetingly over us, but shot a suspicious glance at me. Lidia had let go of Livius abruptly and it was only Piero's presence that kept Livius from attacking us. Livius glared at me and something in his hesitance made me guess he believed me to be responsible for his immobility. He leaned away from me when he turned to Piero.

"He's just an old friend. In fact, he knew _you_ once. Does he look familiar to you?" Livius' tone was deeply antagonistic.

"...Aro Visconti," Piero replied after a pause. "The one all of Ticinum called 'Deofilion'. You survived."

"Splendidly, as you can well see." I strove to remain calm.

Anna's eyes finally settled on me. Her gaze was piercing and I could see myself clearly reflected in her scarlet eyes, the color seeming liquid. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she examined me. Her look spoke of a great intelligence and I had the impression that she could see more than others could.

"A friend?" she asked Piero. Her voice was rich and musical.

"Simply an old acquaintance," he responded, wrapping an arm around her waist. My heart clenched. They were mates.

Anna tensed, her eyes narrowing in warning at him for the briefest second. Her body tilted ever so slightly away from him. They weren't mates. Piero acted like a mated man, but Anna did not respond to him as a mate would. This realization was what gave me the gall to respond, "Acquaintance? Surely, I'm something greater. You're practically a father! After all, you turned me."

Livius started in surprise.

"Did he?" Anna's tone was more interested. "And what—?"

"Anna, there's no need to speak to him."

Anna's look turned furious.

"That's hardly a way to speak to a lady, particularly one that looks like a goddess in mortal form." I winked at Anna, whose eyes widened in surprise before she relaxed into a coquettish grin. My coven started at my words. Livius stared at me in shock and Piero looked downright furious.

"Ignore him. Come, Anna," Piero continued, "we'll—"

"I'm thirsty," she interrupted, her smile fading. She sauntered towards the door, a faint, angry tremble shaking her slender frame.

"Your mate loves you," I observed mockingly.

"You're lucky I do not kill you now," Piero snarled. "Get out before you lose that luck."

He stormed away, Livius following and throwing nasty glances over his shoulder.

"Give me ten seconds," Adelina repeated, speaking up suddenly. "All you have to do is protect me. I'll have him muttering utter gibberish."

Caius hid a smile at Adelina's words. "As pleasing as that sounds, it'll be best to heed his words for tonight and leave."

"I didn't know you liked Aro that much." Lidia teased Adelina.

"I don't," Adelina replied bluntly. "I simply didn't like Piero's tone." Lidia laughed at Adelina's self-righteous look.

Quietly, we exited the room, walking out into the cool fall night. Adelina meandered toward me, falling into step beside me. She opened her mouth numerous times to speak, but always fell silent.

We crossed different scent trails as we traveled to the city gates. We were nearing the outer wall when I came upon a very sweet smell that I immediately recognized. Anna. I paused. As I was the last, none noticed but for Adelina who also stopped. I knew I had to win her over to my side or she'd stop me.

"Adelina, please," I begged quietly. My voice was raw.

Adelina looked insulted. "You want me to enter their minds and endure their horrors just to create the illusion of you running alongside us? You are insane. Not to mention that they'll immediately know when they look up."

"Then keep them from looking up. You're intelligent. _And_ you're indebted to me."

She groaned quietly. "Five minutes," she snapped, turning to look at the others running ahead. Without looking back, I ran after the scent.

It led to the gardens to the south of the citadel. As I approached, the scent of spilled blood assaulted me. I was hard pressed to remain in control, particularly after I saw the blood begin to drip down the steps leading into the garden. I could hear a heart beating so fast it was almost a gallop. Even as I listened, there was a rustling sound, a moan and the heart slowed and stopped. Carefully, I climbed the stairs, avoiding the rivulet and taking pains to avoid breathing.

Anna held a human man, her arms wrapped around him tenderly. Her head was bent over his neck. Even as I watched, she slowly raised her head, the last of the man's blood coloring her lips a dark red. A pale tongue flicked out, fanning over her lips and gathering the last drops of blood before disappearing into the dark recesses of her mouth. Her lips sealed in a dark smile. In the sanguine, jeweled tones of her eyes, I could see myself clearly reflected.

"It's rude to stare while someone is feeding." Anna finally broke the silence.

"I do apologize, but it's highly hypocritical to criticize my manners when you've left a carcass bleeding before me," I responded. I don't know what seized me at that moment. I rarely insult anyone unless I know them well or want to anger them, neither of which applied to Anna. She, however, didn't appear insulted. Instead, she looked over me, humor sparking in her fair face.

"Few indeed dare speak to me in such a manner." There was barely repressed laughter in her voice. "You're quite bold. Or foolish. Which is it?"

"The answer to that depends on who you question, my lady."

"And why would that be?"

"Let us say I've lived through some interesting circumstances."

Anna smiled. "Come; help me with this, son of god. Then you can regale me with tales of your…'circumstances'."

I simpered in response.

As I walked behind her, holding the second body in my arms, I considered how easy it would be to kill her and avenge myself on Piero. Anna wasn't statuesque like Adelina or willowy like Lidia. From her facial traits, I guessed her to have come from Crete, people of an average stature and slim, athletic bodies. She barely reached my shoulder. She had thin, delicate limbs and a slender, oval face. In fact, all of her was lean, but for her wide hips and softly rounded stomach. It should have been much too easy to kill her. When I was about to attack her, she turned around and she smiled at me. Her smile undid me.

"We'll put them under there." She motioned to a large tree, its branches waving softly.

"Let me pull it up," I volunteered politely.

I set the body down and tread softly toward the tree. Wrapping my arms around the thick trunk, I jerked it up sharply. The tree groaned as the roots were forced from their usual place in the dirt. Anna skipped forward and tossed the bodies into the depression the roots had left. Then, I replaced the tree in its place. Anna tamped down the earth. She inspected the tree then glanced at me, a humored smile spreading across her face.

"The son of god deigned to help a lady," she began teasingly. "Now, why would he do something like that?"

"Perhaps he'd never met someone like said lady before," I played along, "and wanted to know more about her."

"Oh? And what would the son of god ask of the lady?"

"For a single moment to touch her."

Anna's eyes darkened, smoldering under her long, dark lashes. She stepped toward me until she stood before me. My hands rose automatically to clasp her arms and I cursed the thin fabric coating them. I froze when she leaned forward, so close her words fell from her lips directly onto mine. "Does he?" she whispered and her voice was a caress. I could feel her very breath against my mouth. I inhaled deeply, reveling in the alluring fragrance.

And she tugged that damned sign out from under my sash. She laughed softly. "If that's what he wants," she breathed, her lips mere centimeters away, "I'm afraid he'll have to win it. And it will be expensive."

She was suddenly gone from my grasp, leaving me to hold onto air alone. She moved in the direction of her coven's palazzo, her movements sinuous and measured as a panther. She turned, walking backwards for a brief moment.

"You'll have to leave now. Piero's not too happy and he's not the forgiving type."

"Wait! You never specified how I could get what I want."

She laughed. "It's too bad you're a hypocritical idiot," she said with a nod at the sign around my neck. "If not, you would have known. It was a pleasure meeting you…Aro." She spoke my name slowly, as if savoring it. Then, she whirled, all wild locks of hair and mischievously glinting eyes, and disappeared into the shadows of the citadel.

I wavered between following her and leaving, but the latter finally won. I caught up with my coven nearing the border of our territory. I had long surpassed my time limit and I could feel Adelina's glare boring a hole into my back. She let go of the illusion and none started with the sole exception of Marcus. He turned back to look at me, half questioning, half angry. Adelina couldn't create the illusion of the ties of our relationships as she neither knew how they worked or what the colors meant. The moment the ties disappeared, Marcus must have known Adelina had pulled him into a vision.

I ignored them both as we finally reached Volterra. Without bothering to bid farewell, I quitted their company and escaped into my room. I collapsed onto the lectus, two images warring within me.

Chiara was pure light: transparent and bright. Anna was darkness: mysterious and seductive. I had loved Chiara as best one could love a spouse chosen for them. Anna, in a matter of seconds, had awoken desires within me I'd long ignored.

For those of you thinking it was love at first sight, you're sadly mistaken. I did not love Anna. I was attracted to her, yes. She was beautiful, charismatic and alluring with a strong presence that demanded everyone's attention and seized it. Who could not be attracted to her?

But, as I lay there on that lectus, my thoughts centered on how I hated her.

I hated her beauty and her charisma; I hated her grace and her cleverness. I hated the power she had over me without even trying, hated how to Piero she was his mate while my wife lay dead. I hated _her_. Most of all, I hated how I did not truly hate her, not at all. No, instead, I despised how much _I_ wanted her because she was something I could not have.

I wrested with these thoughts the night through. At daybreak, she remained an enigma to me, but I'd come to a conclusion.

I had to see her again.


	13. Ante Bellum Part 3

_Bat, bat, come under my hat,  
And I'll give you a slice of bacon;  
And when I bake,  
I'll give you a cake,  
If I am not mistaken._

* * *

I wasn't surprised to hear my door slide open moments later, accompanied by the soft tinkling of Lidia's bracelets as she entered the room.

"Aro?" Lidia's usually lilting voice—so like singing—was hesitant, rougher. Worry marred her always smiling face. "Are you all right?"

"I'm surviving," I answered sharply, not angry with her, but unwilling to speak of the subject.

Lidia's gaze dropped. Her thumbs traced small circles across her arms, almost as if she were cold. When she looked up, a new emotion was reflected in her jewel-like eyes. Fear. Fear for me.

"If you need to talk…" she trailed off, almost as if she changed her mind midway.

"I know whom I can turn to. Thank you." I nodded in her direction, but did not look at her.

I barely heard her exit; she was so silent. I lost myself again in my musings, watching the muted sun slowly descend towards the firmament. Twilight would soon fall. The union of two unlike times, as brief as it was perfect…

"And where are you going?"

Just a few meters away from Volterra's walls, Adelina intercepted me. I cursed her, hoping she would meet someone with a worse past than she.

"Out for a walk." _Obviously_ hung unuttered at the end of the sentence, but perfectly understood.

Adelina frowned. "And where were you walking to?"

"Who made you my mother?"

"You are so immature." Adelina crossed her arms before her.

I stuck my tongue out at her, making a rude face as I had when I was child. Adelina glared. I hid my smile at her response.

2500 years later, I still love getting a rise out of Adelina. However, getting back to the story, Adelina shook her head slowly then shot at me, "I won't cover for you again. Do you even know what you are risking by going to see that—that witch? You know that's the vampiress called Lamia, don't you? I remember her now. She's infamous. She's a child killer and a siren. It's how she was able to seduce Adriano. How she can even do so when she is mated is beyond me. And to your enemy no less! You could ignite a war just by wanting to see her."

Smiling, I responded, "To answer in order, that's all right. Yes, I do. Of course. The children's blood on her hands makes her that much more tempting. Lucky he who had her if for a short while. That's what I mean to find out. There is always a downside to everything. I'm perfectly aware of that."

Adelina cocked an eyebrow despondently. "And you're still going?"

"Obviously," I gaily responded.

"Aro, you are not leaving." Adelina's matter-of-act tone robbed me of my false cheer.

"And how will you stop me? Would you be willing to bet the effectiveness of your illusions against me? Or have you forgotten that you do not intimidate me?" I mocked her.

"And you've no right to speak to her that way. " I glanced sideways, watching the shadows melt away from Lidia's advancing form. "She's worried; we all are. What is happening? Running off like this in such a temper, being unnecessarily cruel…this is unlike you."

"I simply don't see why you feel the need to suffocate me. I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself and perfectly within my right to go out for a walk when I wish."

"To Belverde?" Adelina pursed her lips.

"Well, I had no set destination, but now that you mention it, I might pay my respects."

"Aro, you could be killed." Lidia's divine features were solemn, almost fearful.

"I know."

"Then why go?" Lidia's painfully soft question momentarily deflated my sails.

"I don't know," I replied soberly, turning to the gates of Volterra. "I just know I have to."

I left Adelina and Lidia behind me as I ran off, racing against the darkening sky to make it to Belverde before nightfall. Guilt assailed me as I thought of the two women. Lidia would keep it a secret in order to protect me and she would bully Adelina into doing the same. Either would have followed me and dragged me back my hair if they really thought I couldn't handle myself. I did not even know why I needed to see Anna again or even how I would be able to get her alone without alerting Piero or Livius to my presence. I simply had a voice in my head that urged me forward. It was irrational, foolish—even by my own standards!—but I had to see her again. If not, I had an awful premonition that something horrid would befall me.

When I reached the city, I paused at its walls, wandering around them. Anna was somewhere within, probably with Piero. I could never hope to find her and draw her away. My plan appeared ever more irrational to me.

Then whatever gods might have been watching my plight interceded in my favor.

"Oh my. Look at what I have found. Piero would be ever so happy to see you, son of god."

Unbelievably, Anna sat on the wall, clothed in a loose white robe. She still wore her golden earrings, but she had added a simple gold diadem to keep her long her hair away from her face. Her bare feet swung back and fro at a regular tandem. A teasing smile adorned her scarlet lips.

She _was_ a temptress. I shook my head, smiling, and readied my response.

"Send my sincerest apologies to Piero, but my interest lies solely with women I'm afraid."

Anna tossed her head back, her surprised laughter falling around me like rain. She clapped her hands delightedly.

"Oh, you are a devil, not a god." Anna snickered seductively. Yes, it is possible to snicker so. Remind me to introduce you to Anna later.

"They're easily confused." I brushed my shoulder casually.

"And which one of the two do you give in to most?" Anna cupped her chin in her hand, her eyes dancing in the encroaching darkness.

"It depends."

"On?"

"What you would do if I admit I'm more of a devil than a god." I aimed a rakish grin her way. Her eyes widened momentarily before her features settled into a mysterious smile.

"And what would you have me do, my misnamed son of god?" She blinked innocently.

"You already know what I would have you do: allow me a single moment to touch you."

"Just touch?" Anna's voice had a disbelieving edge. "I highly doubt you would risk death for a single innocent touch."

"First of all, you don't know me," I responded, a heavy glint in my eye, "so you can't ascertain what I would or would not do. And secondly, from you such a touch, a stolen caress, a butterfly's graze, is worth anything and everything."

Anna stared, her eyes wide—and she burst out laughing.

"That was excellent! Oh, you almost made me believe that!" She wrapped her pale arms around her abdomen, trying to control her hysterics.

"I was being serious," I protested immediately. Anna straightened herself, one eyebrow arching in a way that put me to shame. "About half of it." I admitted.

Anna observed me carefully, her eyes seeming to search mine. "Why does Piero despise you?"

"I wouldn't lend him my toys when we were children."

Unlike before, she didn't even smile. Instead, her eyes narrowed slightly. "Tell me the truth. Why does Piero despise you?"

I opened my mouth to answer her—and paused. I couldn't reveal such information to her, not before touching her and certifying what her thoughts were, but something in me screamed to give in and tell her everything: to please her and so win her to my side. I wanted her so very much. And she was just so very difficult to read! It simply made me long for her even more.

"Tell me," Anna said softly. "Please do."

I wanted so badly to tell her, give her any and all information she could ever want, but I couldn't. Reveal. That!

"Why does he hate you? Answer the question!" Her tone faltered for a moment—her face remained impassive, but something in her eyes flickered. Anyone not as observant as I would have missed it. Surprise marred by the sharpness of anger.

By then, I was in pain. I wanted to, no, _needed_ to tell her everything, but it was so irrational and so unlike me…

Unlike me.

I straightened, looking her directly in the eye. "No." And the answer proved utter agony. Bands tightened around my head, the pressure threatening to do me in. The pain was so surprising that I almost missed Anna rising to her feet, her hands clenched at her sides.

"No?" She whispered a deadly hiss. Her lips spread in a dark smile. "I have to submit to you, but you cannot answer a simple question for me? It doesn't sound fair, does it?"

"What isn't fair is attempting to get the answer out of me through such underhanded means." My accusation was vague, but it had the desired effect. Anna stiffened.

"What are you talking about?" Her facial expression seemed truly confused, but the pain disappeared.

"You have a special ability," I realized aloud. "It's how you were able to seduce Adriano. It's how you've managed to infiltrate so many other covens, making it easy for Piero to then come and take their territory."

Anna's face appeared chiseled out of marble. She looked like a statue, frozen on the wall.

And like Piero when I faced him, she was silent.

"_Qui tacet consentire_." I smirked at her.

"Not at all." Anna recovered quickly. "Silence provides true knowledge, not mere consent. What this silence states is my surprise at your gibberish. How could I possibly do what you've suggested?"

"How _can_ you?" I shot back, barely disguising my triumph.

"You're a fool," she stated. "Get away before I have you killed."

"But you brought me here. And you don't yet have what you want from me. I'm more valuable to you alive than dead."

Anna laughed. "You _are_ a fool! Do you honestly think yourself so important? Well, you make me laugh so I'll let you live. But if you stay here much longer, I will not be able to prevent my coven from slaughtering you when they find you."

Because of the truth in her words, I decided to heed them, but not before one last gibe. "You want something; I want something. Why not compromise? I tell you what you want if you allow me to do what I want."

"I don't compromise. I get what I want without the need to bargain for it."

"Then it seems like we'll both have to survive unsatisfied. Good evening, my lady." I bowed before her and calmly walked away. I could feel her eyes on me as I turned in the direction of Volterra. When the city disappeared behind me, I began to run.

Certain clues fell into place. Anna's power had something to do with control. Somehow, she could manipulate others into doing as she wished. It was subtle enough to be almost entirely unnoticed. And it was difficult to ignore. I almost had not. But, I knew my one-track mind and how I did not debate my decisions. As I said before, things are done my way or they are done...my way. I do not second-guess myself. I never question my choices, and I always follow through with them. The fact that I had been so conflicted was my first indicator that something was wrong. But I had not imagined Anna could have…

It was why I had been so obsessed. It hadn't been me; it had been _her_. But why? And why would she need to know so desperately the reason for Piero's hatred of me?

Something inside—not her, I made sure of that—told me the matter with Anna was not yet finished. And it wasn't. Not at all. Anna had only just begun to haunt me.


	14. A Wedding Interlude

_In my sweet little Alice Blue gown,  
When I first wandered down into town,  
I was both proud and shy  
As I felt every eye,  
But in every show window  
I'd primp, passing by._

* * *

"This is utterly pointless." Adelina pursed her lips in disapproval as she sorted through various bolts of cloth.

"Of course it is." Caius was in a foul mood. He had just finished calculating what the cost of such an extravagant wedding would be. The number was excruciatingly painful. "But Lidia wants a wedding and Marcus has never learned how to deny her."

"So if she wanted the moon, Marcus would rope it and haul it down for her?" Adelina arched a disbelieving eyebrow.

"Basically."

A moment passed as Adelina digested that piece of information.

"But it's so pointless!" she finally exploded, her outburst causing several piles of elegant silken cloth to flutter to the ground at her feet.

"Oh, stop complaining!" I snapped. I had tried to be patient, but her numerous protests had finally worn down my last nerve. "You're only annoyed because you're not the bride so you have to do all the work. If the roles were reversed, you would verily expect Lidia to help. The only difference is that Lidia would be gushing enthusiasm for you at every turn."

Caius and Adelina stared at me, slack-jawed and bewildered.

"Lidia has reduced you to flower arranging and you're _defending_ her?" Caius blinked in astonishment.

I glanced down at the entirely proportionate bouquet that had taken me several hours to perfect—and then shoved it away from me. "I think I've been inhaling the fumes for too long," I muttered dismally.

"Good morning!" Lidia trilled as the door before her swung open and she skipped toward us. Marcus followed calmly behind her, his gaze affectionate.

"Oh, it's good?" Adelina looked around as if trying to find something. "Where is the good? I fail to see it."

I hid my grin at her words while Caius smirked into the parchment with his calculations.

Lidia ignored her. "We need your help with the list of invitations."

"I thought you wanted it to be a private affair?" Caius frowned.

"Yes, we did," Marcus spoke up. "But after the Belverde fiasco, I realized that we need to host something as equally extravagant in order to maintain the appearance of our power. We now have two covens with their eyes set on Volterra: Leo for the land and Piero for Aro. We cannot allow them to join or, much less, ally any other covens against us. "

"So you want to use the wedding as a way of showing off our power and prestige and thus make the other covens think twice before attacking us."

"Exactly," Marcus nodded at Caius.

"I suppose it could work." Caius drummed his fingers on the tabletop thoughtfully.

"Or we'll become the laughingstock of the vampire world when they realize we're having a _human_ wedding ceremony," Adelina hissed under her breath. As I was closest, I was the only one who heard her. Though I held my tongue, I grudgingly had to admit she was right.

The preparations that ensued from that moment were inconceivable in their opulence. Silk from China and cotton from Egypt, precious stones from Babylonia, fantastic woodcarvings from Africa, even purple dye from Phoenicia.

Caius deeply regretted agreeing with Marcus and Lidia when he saw how the costs skyrocketed.

Eventually, the palazzo was ready. Decorated lavishly, everything was a testament to wealth and power. While the ceremony itself would be private, the celebration afterward was open to all covens. Thanks to Lidia's numerous contacts, we had an even larger throng present than Piero had in Belverde.

Lidia, dressed in her bridal robes, was a remarkable sight. I had never seen her so happy as she was that day. The smile that alighted on her ethereal face every time she looked at Marcus or at the slender ring on her finger is one that I have never forgotten. Trying to describe her in full detail wouldn't do her justice, because I fear that even your physical sight wouldn't be enough to appreciate the beauty she exuded that day. It was something that you had to _feel_, deep within yourself. She was otherworldly. Never had I seen her as radiant as she was that day.

Marcus, for his part, never wandered from her side. He rained small touches on her: gently clasping her hands, tucking errant strands of vibrant titian hair behind her ear, stroking her cheek. They were the very image of a young couple in love. That image helped quell Adelina's worries that the other vampires would look down upon us because of the nature of the wedding. One look at Marcus and Lidia and no one could criticize us.

I wandered among the guests, conversing amicably and keeping a sharp eye out for the new Belverde coven. Finally, I saw Piero appear, flanked by Livius and Anna. Three other vampires followed. Their manner was reminiscent of a guard, something that surprised me.

"Excuse me," I said to the Roman vampire I had been speaking to. Anna was the first to notice me approach. The corners of her mouth twitched.

"Good evening. I am so glad you were able to come," I addressed Piero, my voice giving away no particular emotion.

Piero stated the word "human" as if it were a disgusting curse word. "We had to see it for ourselves: a vampire coven disgracing themselves by means of a _human_ tradition."

"Understandable," I acquiesced. "I only came here to honor the fairest woman I have ever seen and the fools that trail after her like lovesick infants." I bowed to Anna. Her smile widened.

Piero's eyes flashed dangerously. "You had best keep your distance from my mate unless you wish to suffer the consequences."

"Consequences, you say?" I winked at Anna. "They sound decadent. Shall we head to a private corner and bask in sin?"

Piero and Anna were shaking, Piero in fury and Anna with laughter.

"You impudent fool," Piero snarled. "Have you not yet realized whom you're addressing?"

"Allow me to teach him." Livius glared viciously at me.

Before I could prod them further, Adelina approached. "Aro, I need you." She grabbed my upper arm and aptly hauled me away.

"Are you an idiot?" she hissed once they were out of earshot. "Why are you trying to infuriate him?"

"Because it's absurdly easy. And cathartic."

Adelina frowned at me.

"Don't worry," I grinned. "I'm not going to get myself killed."

"If that were what I was worried about I wouldn't have bothered interrupting. What I care about is that you don't start a fight here that would involve Caius."

I winked at her. "I would do no such thing. Besides, Lidia would kill me for ruining her celebration and I prefer to live. In a manner of speaking."

Adelina rolled her eyes, finally focusing on me with a warning gaze. "Just keep away from them, please."

"All right, Adelina. I promise I shall not taunt Piero anymore. Excuse me."

I left her, losing myself in the crowd again. I scanned the area for Piero and finally found him. He and Livius were deep in conversation. Anna stood a small distance away. She must have sensed me watching her for she suddenly glanced my way, her scarlet eyes locking on mine. A small smirk graced her full lips and she quietly turned away from her coven, heading outside.

_Follow her. Don't let her leave. _

I found her in the gardens, sitting at the edge of a small pool watching the colored fish Lidia had purchased swim in lazy circles.

"Following me?" Anna teased without bothering to turn around. She was in a much better mood than I had expected. She leaned back on her arms, her face turning slightly towards me. A mischievous glint glimmered in her eyes.

"Actually, you led me here, remember?" I corrected her lightly.

She did not respond for a moment, choosing to arch backward until she rested on the pool's ledge; her midnight robes fluttered to her ankles, her eyes trained on the twinkling stars above her.

"No one before has ever discovered my power and fought it so quickly. You must be demonic, my idiotic son of god." Her lilting laugh contrasted with her words. She did not sound at all bitter, but curious. _What a strange woman,_ I thought, smiling.

"Idiotic?" I responded aloud. "You don't know me enough to form such a judgment yet."

"Oh, I but I do," she replied jovially. "After the events at Belverde and the confrontation today, you are an idiot to seek out those amongst whom you are so clearly unwelcome. "

"I'm unwelcome to you?" I grinned.

Anna paused, slowly sitting. Her smile faded, her lips parting slightly as she observed me from under her long, thick lashes. Suddenly, she disappeared. Before I could gasp, she appeared before me, her hands resting slightly on my chest.

"You are most unwelcome to me," she whispered, "Aro."

Before I could even blink, Anna closed the small distance between us, her lips capturing mine.


	15. Anna

**Author's Note:** This chapter is narrated using a style that may not be familiar to you, that of stream-of-consciousness. This style seeks to recreate the seemingly random and rapidly changing thoughts of a character during a particular moment. For this reason, the chapter may appear disjointed and difficult to understand at first. Multiple reads will be necessary in order to understand. Just ask my beta how many times she had to read before she had to admit she actually liked it.

* * *

_What did I dream?  
I do not know;  
The fragments fly like chaff.  
Yet strange my mind   
Was tickled so,  
I cannot help but laugh._

* * *

Anna let herself slip under the pond's liquid surface. It was easy to lose herself in her thoughts while looking at the world through a watery lens.

Needing an escape from Piero's questioning and Livius' snide comments, she'd run from Belverde until she had come upon a small copse of trees. In its heart, she had discovered the trail of water, gushing from a crevice in some rocks until it pooled into a circular cavity before trickling out into a gentle stream. Surrounded by the emerald foliage, she had stripped off her clothes and hung them on a low branch. She'd floated on the still surface, allowing the water to cradle her body. Her hair floated, weightless in the water, a dark net through which tiny fishes and other animals swam.

The sunlight danced like gems from the watery beads on her skin. Anna laughed, imagining any human stumbling upon her, overcome by the sight of her naked body seemingly studded with diamonds.

Studded with diamonds. There had been a time when she had been such. A decoration dressed in further decorations. An object to be seen, beautiful and unresponsive as diamonds. But she had broken free of that. She was certain she had. Why, then, did she sometimes feel so very trapped?

Anna closed her eyes, blowing remnants of air from her useless lungs. She sank quickly to the bottom of the pond.

The world was beautiful from underwater. The sun was a flower, flickering before her eyes. It was darker and colder here. Anna turned her body around to see behind her. Between the rocks that formed the base of granite, a small hole was visible, just large enough to fit a small human male crouched in a fetal position. Or an average sized human female.

A shudder crept up Angerona's spine. A dark panic shrouded her as she beheld that hole in the ground.

She had not known what they would do when they pulled her out of the cell. Rough hands had grabbed her and shoved her inside. Her head had cracked against the side and Angerona had felt the warmth of her blood dripping down her face. She had felt her back scrape against a protruding stone and she flinched. Before she could scream at them to stop, a large stone was rolled over her head with only two small orifices. She had no space to move, forced to hug her knees tightly into her chest to keep the open abrasions on her shins from rubbing against the rough wall.

She knew what they wanted to do. They were trying to destroy her, break her will, make her into a slave that forever said yes. She would not give them the pleasure of seeing her defeated.

However, she could not bite back the animalistic whimper that echoed within her chest, streamed down her limbs, clawed out of her aching womb.

Anna's thoughts returned to the watery cavern below the pond's surface—a shudder of ire ran up her spine. Now, though…now, she could destroy that miserable hole as was proved when her pale arm flashed out against the rock above it, causing it to collapse. She could now destroy whatever and whoever came her way. She wasn't an ornament anymore, even if Piero deemed to see her otherwise.

Anna surfaced, blinking the pond water out of her eyes. A low branch with red flowers hung over her head and, when she glanced at her reflection in the water's surface, it looked like an emerald crown, studded with rubies. Anna's face twisted in a feral smile. That crown of shadows she had borne still seemed to burn her head, even today. Forced into wedlock with a man three times her age in order to secure the safety of her people. She had not wanted to. But she had been long past argument. A year spent in the darkness had destroyed any ability of fighting back. Instead, she gave him a queen, gave him an island, gave him a daughter.

How she had hated that child of her blood, but not of her blood. Ariadne had been his, always his. There was only one that could have been hers, conceived under her terms, and not for any of the men who entered her cell under his orders. In that tiny, bloody cavern, he had been born from her. Within that bloody hole, she had licked him clean, given him her blood to feed upon for lack of sustenance, kissed his tiny face, tiny chest, tiny arms and tiny legs to life. And within that tiny hole, she had been forced to remain in the macabre pool of her blood and her baby's blood until it had dried on her skin and the stench of decay dug its claws inside of her while the child, an adamantine child with her dark hair and icy eyes, rested still, unmoving and safe in her arms. She had made sure to save him from her horror.

She had not done the same to Ariadne. He had stopped her.

And she had tried to do the same to herself. She had been close, so close. But, he was always there to stop her, kill her by keeping her body alive. She could still recall the day that she had run a knife up her arm, following the line of her veins from her wrist to her elbow. She had watched in an awed detachment as the sanguine stream branched off down her arm, coloring her fingers. Scarlet flowers bloomed in the still surface of the bath. She had dipped her hand in the cool water and the sharp sensations of the cuts calmed. In return for easing her pain, the cool surface called for a kiss.

Angerona had allowed herself to sink under the placid surface. She remained underwater as she had not been allowed to before. He had pulled her out, held his fine robes to her arm to stem the flow, called for the doctor, saved her life. After she had healed, he had struck her so hard that she had fallen against one of the bed's edges, her temple slicing open, her skull cracking under the blow. Then, he had shoved her into a small room and ignored her panicked screams to let her out.

_Let me out please, the walls, the walls, there's no space, I can't breathe, please...!_

She had been so disoriented, so very weak. Just standing could set the world spinning and send her reeling to the ground in a dead faint.

She hadn't been able to open her eyes. Her lids had been heavy, her eyelashes weighing them down. She had lain in an uncomfortable position, but she could not move her body. Her limbs had been even heavier than her eyelids.

Her sight gone, she had been forced to rely upon her hearing. Strange sounds reverberated, a scream, cracking wood, the dull thud of a body striking stone. It had made no sense to her, although she felt as if she should know what was happening. Something within her had clamored to be revealed, but it was like a dream; the more she tried to remember, the less she could recall.

Instead, Angerona had focused on the only thing she could: the fire blooming within her chest. A fire that clawed slowly across her skin, raked into her muscles and burned her veins. Something uncontrollable unleashed within her, a pain sharper than any she had ever endured.

It wasn't so surprising, Anna thought bitterly. Where before she had controlled an entire kingdom, she could no longer control her own steps. It was no wonder the vampire had taken her so easily. What had been surprising was Ariadne's reaction. Ariadne who had despised her mother and been despised by her in turn had woken at the sound of her mother's strangled cry, entered her mother's chamber, seen the strange, pale man bent over her mother's inert form and thrown herself at him with a half-surprised and half-furious cry.

Foolish child. But the insult was softened in Anna's mind as she thought about her arrogant, selfish daughter who had realized at the last moment that she loved her mother. Foolish, foolish child.

These reflections faded in her mind as Anna pushed herself out of the water, stepping onto the emerald carpet lining the banks. Absentmindedly, she picked up a fallen branch, drawing nonsensical lines on the damp ground. Why was she thinking about such awful matters? She had put it all behind her: thrust all of her energy into forgetting these awful events, yet here they were, mocking her. She shook her head, glancing at the floor.

She had not drawn just lines. She had written her name.

With wild eyes, her head swiveled to the wall of the cliff encasing the pond, and with a sharp rock, she desperately etched the lines of her name into it. As she worked, Angerona trembled. Since_ the_ fire, she had regularly felt other fires suffuse her throat, mouth, her entire body. And she had realized she was losing herself. Her memory was fading; even her name was difficult to recall. Only the need to slake the fire drove her onward. A moment of lucidity had fallen on her and she had grabbed a rock and used it to carve each painstaking symbol of her name into the surface of the cliff wall. With her new eyes, she traced the letters, eight in all. Without warning, eight memories—each one linked to one of the letters—stabbed into her mind. A life as a diamond, time blurring in her cell, the sailor she had manipulated and hurt, a void of all emotion, the false immortality, her traitorous sister's scream, a still, cold newborn and—reflected in her husband's terrified eyes—her own blood-red irises.

She rocked back and forth, hands clenched in fear and agony, a scream tearing through her throat. Trying to unleash the torment flooding her veins, her fist lashed out against the rock. She almost missed, the force sending her reeling to the floor. Panting, she lay crumpled on the ground, her hands digging into her hair. A moment passed, then another, and then another. Her pain was fleeting; she slowly raised her head.

The four middle letters of her name had been erased when she had struck the rock. Four remained, the last two a reverse image of the first two symbols.

A-N-N-A.

Anna.

Anna. Funny name. Odd. She had never heard it before. And if she hadn't heard it before, then it had no links to her past. It could not dredge up horrid memories. It wasn't painful.

"Anna," she whispered to herself. A pretty name.

Angerona closed her eyes. When she opened them, the black pupils reflected no sign of humanity. Angerona, the human, died. Anna, the vampire, remained.

Anna brushed a strand of dark hair away from her face. A few seconds later, the breeze returned the strand to its former place across her cheek. Sighing, she pushed it away. Relentlessly, the breeze pushed it again.

Relentless. Much like Aro, she mused. A tiny smile crossed her lips. His face supplanted her earlier musings, his mind an enigma she was aching to unravel.

Anna surrendered, letting the breeze do to her what it would.


	16. Affair

_One for sorrow,  
Two for joy,  
Three for a girl,  
Four for a boy,  
Five for silver,  
Six for gold,  
Seven for a secret  
Never to be told._

* * *

I couldn't believe it. I had been _so _desperate to try to find a way to touch Anna and then little vixen kissed me! When she did, her Story was so dramatically different than what I had expected.

Her capture as a human. The months spent under torture. Her dead children. Her abusive husband. Her turning.

Even Adelina would have a difficult time trying to turn Anna's fears onto Anna without aversely affecting herself.

Then: her life as a vampire. Her overwhelming horror at having to feed on humans. Her growing self control. Her years as hetaerae. The beginning of Lamia's myth. She had not fed on those children at all. She had taken them from homes where they were abused or from parents who could no longer care for them, raising them as her own. The young human male who had appeared to face the vampires at Belverde was one of her "children," grown and fiercely loyal to his vampire "mother".

Meeting Piero. He had offered her understanding, a stable position, taken in her "children" without a single doubt. And she had used her amazing power to help him achieve levels of strength he never would have before. Because her power was astounding.

She could manipulate the desires of others. By spending time with her would-be victims, she learned all about them: how they formed their decision, what their beliefs were. Armed with this knowledge, she could deftly invade their unsuspecting minds—she could become a mere voice in the back of their heads. And then she would slowly manipulate their thoughts, shape them and form them as she needed, until they were unknowing slaves under her will. The vengeance of a queen once stripped of all control.

The only drawback to her ability was the time she needed to spend with her victim in order to affectively control them without their noticing. If she did not understand them well enough, she might risk inducing out-of-character thoughts and actions, and, if they did notice, they could fight her off.

It was what had happened with me. It was why I had managed to keep her from fully controlling me. She had risked it all because she _needed_ to know why Piero despised me. She had risked it all because she wanted to escape from Piero.

For in Piero's quest for power, he had learned how to fight Anna's ability until he was immune to it. Then, he had tried to control _her_. She had tried to flee, tried to kill him, tried to kill herself… when she met me, she was desperate. Seeing Piero's disdain of me, she had hoped that it was only a mask to hide his fear of me: she thought that perhaps I had some sort of means to destroy Piero, even if I was killed in the process. She had kissed me, giving into my demands, hoping that some sort of physical contact would strengthen her control over me and eliminate any resistance I had against her.

She had not counted on her body's reaction to me. To be fair, I had not counted on my body's reaction to her either.

Her lips moved under mine, grazing, biting, both gently and violently. A study of contrasts within a few seconds. A cool tongue fanned across my lower lip, begging entrance. Instead, I pressed a small kiss to each corner of her luscious mouth and avoided the center. I decided to torture her as much as she had me. I drew away. The smallest whimper greeted my actions.

"Where are you going?" Anna's hands tightened around my robes.

"I know what you are trying to do. You want me to believe that you care for me so that I might give you what you want. But I will not be deceived that easily. If you will excuse me." I turned around—and froze. I could not move. A voice whispered, beckoned, urged me to stay. I tried to fight it—and almost fell over in pain. I had fallen under her influence again! But how?

I heard Anna slowly approach, felt her arms map my back, her fingers slowly push my hair away. "You are not leaving." Her breath ghosted over my neck and I could have sworn I felt goose bumps rise. Her lips pressed against the sensitive skin between my neck and shoulder.

She knew I wanted her. When I had turned around, my eyes had lingered a moment too long on her and she had realized I was bluffing. She had then used my longing for her to invade and resume control. Observant, conniving siren.

"See?" She taunted, running a nail gently down my neck. "You don't want to."

"You never specified exactly what I needed to do to have you," I replied unsteadily. Her touch was maddening. I reached up to clasp her hand. "Did I simply need to bow to your every command?"

"Perhaps, but no," she breathed. Her thoughts ran, thinking of plans and discarding them within seconds. "Two days' time. Follow the river to a copse of trees. Inside of it is a small pond, secluded and private. Meet me there if you truly want to know what it will take."

And she was suddenly gone. I was not surprised. She had been incredibly fast as a human, almost inhumanly so. As a vampire, she was even faster than Lidia, something I had once thought impossible.

I stood alone in the garden. A soft breeze grazed against me and I could almost feel the ghost of her touch lingering on my arms, back, neck, face. I shivered. My hand rose to grasp my shoulder, the place where Anna had rested her hand. Traces of her scent clung to the fabric. I inhaled deeply, reveling in the alluring fragrance for the briefest moment before I turned and strode into the palazzo.

I needed to find Caius. I hurried through the halls, trying not to draw attention to myself. Finally, I found him near the entrance, one arm wrapped around Adelina's slender waist.

"Caius!" I called as I half-walked, half-ran to him.

"If you're looking for your dearest friend, he just left," Caius responded.

"Along with his rat-like assistant and your favorite harlot," Adelina added coyly. Caius smirked.

Ignoring Adelina, I faced Caius. "I need to speak with you. Privately." From the look on my face, Caius realized I was serious. He nodded and followed me into a deserted room, away from the hubbub of the festivities. Adelina trailed behind us, quiet as well.

"What is it?" Caius asked when I closed the door behind us.

"Piero is a much deadlier adversary than we had imagined. He is trying to seize control of Italy. He is attempting to trick all Etruscan covens into attacking the Latins. The war that would result would destroy most on both sides so he could then overcome the remnants easily and establish himself as a regent for the Persian king. He is actually one of Xerxes' advisor, here under his orders."

Adelina gasped, her eyes widening.

"How do you know this?" Caius whispered. Shock and disbelief laced his words.

"Anna," I answered simply. "I was able to get close enough to touch her."

"If this is true, we are all in danger. Are you quite certain of this, Aro?"

"Absolutely."

Caius nodded once, his eyes hard. "We must inform Marcus immediately."

"But the celebration," Adelina interrupted.

"The party is not important," Caius replied.

"I know that! But we cannot simply barge in and force everybody to go home. We cannot afford them learning about this, especially in this way. And if they were to believe that we fear something, it would be all the worse."

"She has a point." I nodded in Adelina's direction. She smiled briefly in thanks.

"All right," said Caius. "But we must warn Marcus and Lidia as soon as possible." Adelina and I nodded.

We returned to the celebration, but remained distracted. We concentrated on the danger looming in the horizon, one we could not ignore.

Surely, you have heard of the powerful Persian Empire in your history classes. Xerxes _was_ human, but his advisors—the ones that held the true power—were not. Neither was a small contingent of soldiers: vampire mercenaries brought in for their talents at killing their kind. They had tried to invade Europe before while Darius was king, but were defeated at the hands of the Greeks. It seemed like they were trying again. Except this would not be a simple battle over the supremacy of land: they had already been once defeated, so they would fight for their pride. This meant they would be that much harder to defeat as they would be willing to go to any length in order to restore their dignity.

These thoughts tossed and turned in my head as I pretended to be enjoying myself. Finally, in the dark hours before dawn, the last of the guests left. We immediately pounced on Marcus and Lidia. I quickly repeated what I had told Caius and Adelina to almost identical responses.

"Are you sure?" Marcus questioned.

"Yes," I responded emphatically.

"And so this quarrel of Aro's now involved all of us." Lidia smiled ironically. "Whatever shall we do with you?"

"We need some way of keeping a close watch on him. Do you think you might be able to contact Anna again?" Caius asked me.

"Yes. I'm meeting her in two days' time."

A pregnant pause greeted my words.

"I see you waste no time. You are well-matched." Adelina blinked. I frowned at her.

"How did this come about?" Marcus queried.

"It appears that Anna despises Piero and seeks some way to escape him," I answered after a moment.

"But she's his mate," Adelina argued, surprised. "How could she?"

"She is not mated. He has taken her for his mate, but she does not reciprocate the feeling."

"So we can use her to maintain watch over Piero's moves," Caius concluded.

"That could work. Aro, what do you think? You're the one who knows her best. Can it work?"

There was another question behind Marcus' words. He knew that, with Anna already against Piero, it would be easy for me to seduce her as his enemy. Rather, he meant whether _I_ would be willing to do it.

"There's no reason for it not to work," I answered—and unknowingly sealed Anna's and my fates.

Two days later, I left Volterra after nearly having to after nearly having to set Marcus on Lidia to keep her from following.

"But what if you need help?" she argued.

"I am perfectly capable of fending for myself."

"But what if it is a trap and Anna is an unknowing victim like you?"

"Doubtful. Piero is jealous. He would not leave her alone for any amount of time with me, even if it meant my death."

"But how can you be _sure_?" Lidia persisted.

"Lidia, go back!"

"But Aro—"

"No!"

Finally, she turned away. I ran to the river and followed its course uphill, watching as it slowly narrowed. The trees grew taller and more closely packed as I walked. A dense shade cooled the temperature. Her scent grew stronger with each step, leading me on until I finally broke into a brightly lit clearing. The light danced on the surface of a small pond and the soft green grass growing around it.

Anna stood on the edge, letting the water lap at her feet. She wore a simple white tunic, holding the hem away from the water. Her only pieces of jewelry were golden earrings swaying softly with the breeze.

"You're lucky," she said without turning around. "I've spoken to none about this place. It's my escape when things become too tedious."

She dropped the hem of her gown, allowing the water to climb up the silk. Her bare arms glittered in the sunlight. She slowly turned around. Her red eyes ensnared me and the witty comeback I had planned died in my throat.

The sunlight passing through the fine gown made it almost translucent. I could see the soft curves if her body under the material; I could clearly imagine what was hidden from view.

"There was a time when I lived in Greece," she continued softly. Her eyes never moved away from mine. "Athens, to be exact. Only those women termed indecent had any freedom, so I allowed myself indecency. I became hetaerae, famous and infamous throughout the polis. Famous for my charm, my wit, my talents," she smirked. "Infamous for my prices. Because I had a different price for each man. If they pleased me, then I allowed them my company at almost no charge. If they did not please me, I made it nigh impossible for them to have me."

Finally managing to form words, I said, "And what of me? Have I pleased you or displeased you?"

Anna's smile grew. "Your mind is fascinating. I've never met someone like you before. Your price is simply to answer three questions."

"Three questions?" I blinked. "That's all?"

Anna nodded once.

"All right. Let's hear them then." I braced myself for her questions, knowing they would be of the kind I would not be able to answer.

Anna's hands reached into her hair and pulled out a plain comb hidden among the tresses. The inky strands tumbled down her shoulders. "Have you loved women before?"

Her question caught me entirely off-guard. "Yes," I responded cautiously.

"Beautiful women?" Her left hand closed around the broach holding the tunic around her left shoulder. Slowly, she unfastened the broach, allowing it to fall at her feet. The tunic slipped slightly, revealing more of her pale skin.

"Yes," I answered. An emotion I had not felt in a long time raged through me with newfound energy. Lust. How I wanted her at that moment. But I forced myself to remain still, to wait for her final question.

Anna's right hand rose with painful slowness to the other broach. "More beautiful than me?" She unclasped it and the tunic slowly slipped down her body, petals opening to reveal the flower within. She stepped away from the gown and towards me, pausing when her hands could rest on my chest. I gently took one hand and brought it to my face. I kissed each fingertip before pressing a kiss into the middle of her palm and the tender skin of her inner wrist.

"There are none more beautiful than you," I said. Anna smiled and closed the little distance between us.

Her kiss burned. A delicious fire awoke within me, fueling desires I had long ignored. My hands snaked through her long hair, winding around the dark tresses and using it to guide her, to open up places on her supple body for my lips to kiss.

Why describe what happened on the soft green grass? It suffices to say that I even kissed her shadow—and a little more.

In the days that followed, we sought more stolen moments. Blazing kisses and promises of greater things. There was no love between us. I knew why she gave herself to me; she did it out of revenge. It was her way of spiting Piero. I have to admit—as attracted as I was to Anna—I also used our affair as a way of hurting him. What joy would I feel when he realized that the one he considered his mate had been sleeping with his foe!

However, as the days passed, I returned to her, not out of hatred for Piero or to keep an eye on his actions, but because I was slowly becoming addicted to her.

As I had guessed after I first met her, Anna was unlike any woman I had met before. Sensuous, intelligent, witty, strong. Arrogant, sadistic, selfish, cruel. She was a drug, something that I knew would hurt me but that I could not give up. As time passed, few things happened worthy enough to report to my coven, but still I chased after every moment we could be alone. We flirted with danger. If Anna was not careful enough when she washed off my scent from her or if Piero decided to follow her one day and found us, the consequences could have been dire. Still, we continued even after my coven told me to stop, even after we began to hurt ourselves more than we could have ever hurt Piero.


	17. Gone

_Sing a song of sixpence,    
A pocket full of rye;    
Four and twenty blackbirds   
Baked in a pie.    
When the pie was opened,    
They all began to sing.    
Now, wasn't that a dainty dish   
To set before the King?_

* * *

Anna's skin glowed softly under the gentle rays of moonlight. Her head rested lightly on her pale arms, her gem-like eyes closed. Her even breathing soothed me. If I didn't know firsthand that it was impossible, I would have believed her to be sleeping.

Slowly, I mapped the contours of her spine with my fingertips, grazing each bump, following each line from her lower back to her neck. I gently brushed her dark curls aside. She did not move, but I saw the slightest upward draw at the corners of her lips.

Her thoughts drifted in an almost lazy fashion. She focused on her senses, lingering on little else. Except the desire to tease me by not reacting to my advances.

Oh, ho, ho. I am the wrong man to try to tease.

I replaced my hand's touch with that of my lips, following the same trail. Her body tensed underneath me, her hands clenching shortly before she regained control of herself.

_Easy. Don't give him any sign…_

I hid a smile. I focused on the more sensitive parts of her body, using her thoughts to gauge her reaction. Where before they had been calm, they now raged, awoken by the sensations rolling down her body,. I continued torturing her until she finally groaned, her eyes fluttering open. She tilted her face toward me, mock-glaring.

"Can you not let me rest?" she complained playfully. She tucked an errant curl behind her ear only to have it slip free moments later. She sighed in annoyance.

I brushed it away from her face, allowing my fingers to linger. "Love, you don't need rest," I reminded her, raising an inquisitive eyebrow.

"There are times when I like to pretend otherwise," she answered softly, leaning toward me.

I took her hand in mine, gently kissing each knuckle. "I thought you despised the memory of being human."

Her thoughts came to a sudden halt—metaphorically speaking. Her body grew absolutely still. I immediately realized my mistake as her thoughts took on a dangerous route. Despite my care, I sometimes accidentally alluded to things the person in question had not confided to me. That was one of those moments. Suspicion laced the calm manner of her voice. "I have never spoken of my human past to you." As she spoke, she slowly slid her hand from my grasp.

"No, you have not." I responded truthfully, holding onto her hand, rubbing gentle circles. Then, I lied. "I simply inferred such from some comments you've made and the manner in which you spoke them. Why so tense, love?" I continued massaging her hand, calm, slow.

_Lies. He's lying._

She, however, forced her body to relax. "Forgive me. I overreacted." She shrugged apologetically, her eyes searching my face. "A sensitive topic for me."

I nodded sympathetically, smiling at her.

_What can you do?_

Contrary to her convincingly relaxed act, her thoughts remained suspicious. She wondered about my strange knowledge, and worried as to how I was obtaining it.

Of all the women to accompany Piero, it had to be an observant one.

Luckily, you will learn that my kind is easily distracted. I kissed her deeply until both our thoughts were in disarray.

Later, I dressed slowly, not wanting to leave but knowing I had to. Anna lounged casually on the bed. She was the very picture of lust incarnate: shameless, her every movement carefully measured to draw all attention to herself.

Even now, she still snickers at the fact that I have to dress with my back to her every time to avoid temptation. Not that she helps me control myself either.

She stretched and glanced behind her, examining a hole on the wall. She smirked.

"You need to control yourself, Aro," she teased. Her good humor had returned. "If I have to keep borrowing new houses every time you break one down, there will soon be no village here."

"But what's the fun of restraint?" I aimed a rakish grin at her. "There is nothing entertaining in it at _all_."

Anna rolled her eyes. I chuckled as I wound my robe expertly around me.

"Whatever happened to your sign? I've not seen you with it since the day we met." There was no laughter in her voice, just curiosity.

I stifled a grimace at the memory of the wretched thing. I had burned it with a vicious sort of glee. Only Caius' distraction with Piero and the Persian threat kept him from noticing that I wasn't fulfilling my end of the bargain—and saved me from the consequences. This is, I will admit, the only thing Piero has ever been good for.

"Oh, I…disposed of it finally."

"Did you? It's too bad. It suited you so well. As hideous as you with the lack of intelligence to match."

I wheeled around, indignant. Anna's face was the perfect visage of innocent sincerity—until a mischievous glint alighted her eyes.

A playful growl shuddered its way from my chest. Anna shrieked as I tackled her, sending us both reeling to the floor. The crash shook the floor and walls. Our laughter soon died as my clothes again found themselves on the ground, this time in tatters. Anna was going to have to acquire another outfit for me. And Lidia was going to have yet another fit as I returned in a "filthy vagrant's rags." That would be the fourth time this week alone. It is a good thing our hearts no longer beat; I'm sure I'd have killed Lidia from a heart attack otherwise.

After I finally—if grudgingly—managed to extricate myself from Anna's side, I hurried to Volterra in my new, ill-fitting clothing. I tiptoed into the palazzo, taking care not to make any sound. I hurried to my room and the change of clothes awaiting me. I was almost there…

"Aro, what are you wearing?" An indignant voice called after me.

Lidia stepped out of my room, her arms crossed before her, her eyes trained on my filched clothing as if it had insulted her.

I cursed my ill luck.

I shall spare you the details of my confrontation with Lidia. Surely you humans are intelligent enough to have deduced the manner in which Lidia and I negotiate. We argue, I berate her with a few highly cunning—if I do say so myself—remarks, she throws half the room's contents at me and then we kiss and make up. Simple enough, really.

Hours later—wearing clean, expensively designed robes—I strolled through the plaza, heading to a small stand, set under the shadow of an archway.

"Master Aro!" Decimus, the old craftsman, gasped upon seeing me.

"Good morning, Decimus," I greeted him politely. "Is my order ready?"

"Y-yes, my lord." Decimus stumbled comically in his haste. "Finished it just last night. My most beautiful work." He unearthed a small, intricately carved wooden box and opened the lid. Nestled on the purple cushion within, a tiny onyx bull tossed its head. The detail on the animal was fantastic. I gently took it from its place and held it in my hands. Decimus had captured the bull mid-charge. The lines of the muscles revealed its strength; its eyes, outlined in gold, could almost burn right through you. The tall golden horns were sharp and massive. I was quite impressed.

"What do you think, master?" Decimus asked carefully.

I smiled. "It's perfect. Here is your payment, as agreed."

"Oh, thank you, master." Decimus snatched the bag filled with coins from me as if it were likely to disappear. Poor man, so terrified of me and never knowing why. I set the bull inside the box and closed the lid, slipping the small parcel into my sash. Whistling, I turned to the palazzo.

"Aro." Adelina called from the door, crossing her arms before her. "We need to speak with you."

I followed her to the Great Hall and paused before my coven. I knew what they wanted; their thoughts had been occupied with this intervention for days. As I knew what they were going to discuss, I cut to the point even before they had a chance to speak.

"You want me to stop seeing Anna," I began dryly.

"Yes." Marcus' face was solemn. "There has been nothing to report. And we cannot ignore the danger of these meetings."

"You were certainly able to when I was providing information for you," I snapped.

"But you no longer are," Caius interrupted. "As such, there is no reason for these risks. You risk antagonizing a deadly adversary further and we will not suffer the consequences of your foolishness."

I didn't respond. I was too furious to speak.

Marcus frowned at Caius in warning. "Aro," he said gently, "you need to end this. You knew this would not be able to last forever."

I paused for a moment. "I can't," I finally sighed.

Adelina scoffed. "You can find courtesans anywhere. She's not the only one."

I glared at her. "Not for that reason," I snarled. "Rather, she won't agree."

"Surely you can use your oft-boasted oratory skills to convince her otherwise," Caius said, waving his arm dismissively.

"Not precisely. Her ability will hinder any attempt to persuade her."

Four pairs of ruby eyes snapped to attention.

"Ability?" Marcus, Caius, Lidia and Adelina chorused.

"You never mentioned an ability," Marcus finished.

"You did not ask." I hid a smirk behind a façade of childish innocence.

Caius was furious. "We do not need to ask! You are supposed to tell us!"

"Nevertheless," I ignored him, "I'll tell you now. She can manipulate others' desires. If I tell her something she disagrees with, she will probably use her ability to influence my decision."

"This certainly changes matters." Lidia danced forward, a cocked eyebrow completing her bemused expression, one hand reaching out to grasp mine. _Such a coincidence that her ability—and what an ability!—is revealed when you're supposed to leave her._

"Yes." I hid my smile.

"Nevertheless, you must try, Aro," Marcus decided. "We're not doing this to be hateful. There is considerable danger involved and we cannot expose ourselves."

"She's a valuable source of information. We can keep her nearby…"

"And how do you plan on doing so? Will you storm the citadel, kidnap her and bring her here?" Marcus grabbed my arm. "How will you fight off the vampires there? How will you defeat Piero? You've been sleeping with his mate! And how can you be certain that Anna will defend you? You cannot risk it, Aro. You cannot risk _us_."

"I know," I acquiesced. Before anyone could say anything else, I turned on heel and strolled out of the room.

When sunset finally came, I tied my cloak around my shoulders and ran into the rapidly darkening sky. I traveled as slowly as possible, trying to postpone my meeting with Anna, but trying to do so only made the journey seem even faster.

I arrived before she did. I frowned as I verified that the house was empty; she was always the first to arrive. Piero or Livius must have held her up. She would surely come through the door, cursing their names.

To entertain myself, I lit a cheery fire and settled into a low chair. I fingered the box holding Anna's gift as I waited. And waited. And waited. And waited.

She did not come.

Mere hours before daybreak as I returned to Volterra, I pondered the strange occurrence. Anna had never missed a meeting before. There had been nothing in her thoughts about not wanting to return, never wanting to see me again. She was suspicious, yes, but that made her want to pursue me. She wanted to know the truth about me. What could have kept her away?

Caius was strolling through the city when I arrived. He moved toward me and raised a quizzical eyebrow when he caught sight of my foul mood.

"I take it she didn't agree," he asked rhetorically.

"No, she didn't hear the decision at all."

"Aro, you were supposed to tell her! You cannot possibly maintain this affair simply because—"

"She wasn't there," I interjected shortly. "She didn't appear at all."

Caius blinked. "Aro, what—?" I shoved past him, not wanting to hear him speak.

I returned to that remote village over the next few days. Her scent grew older and older until I had to strain to find it. Soon, it disappeared completely. I then ran to Belverde, planning to break in and confront Piero any way possible. She would not have cut our meetings short in such a manner, but Piero could have forced her to if he had learned about us. He knew how to control her. Only one thing could make Anna panic: a dark, enclosed space, a product of her torture as a human. If he had done anything to her…

I hunted through the city for any trace of them, but the scent was also old, fading. The coven was gone. Anna was gone.

That night, I tasted true desperation. I raced madly through the city and its outskirts, but I could find no trail.

Adelina found me. My coven had grown worried after I did not return. Lidia, convinced I had gotten myself into trouble by another stupid move, had persuaded them to search for me. Adelina alerted the others and they soon caught me. By then, I was almost deranged with fury.

"She's gone!" I raged. "The entire coven is gone! No sign of them! Nothing!"

"Aro, calm down." Marcus tried to pacify my anxiety. "I'm sure there is a perfectly logical reason."

"Which one?"

Marcus opened his mouth—and closed it, frowning.

"There isn't one," I snapped. "There was nothing in her thoughts about leaving. Nothing in her memories hinting to this. Their coven was firmly established. There is no logical reason for them to leave."

"What if they were recalled?" Lidia's soft, bell-like voice broke the silence.

"What do you mean?" Marcus asked her.

Lidia bit her lower lip. "Piero is a Persian advisor. What if they called him? A meeting to plan the invasion? It would explain the abrupt departure."

"If that is true, then they must be mobilizing." Caius may be annoying, but no one knows more of war and its warning signs than he. "Lidia, can you call upon your friends, ask them for any news regarding Persian movement? And keep it subtle."

"Of course." She nodded quickly.

"We will need to send word to the other covens," Caius continued. "Any that prefer to continue living as they have. Adelina and I will contact some of the outlying covens. Aro, you and Marcus will need to travel to Lucca. We will need physical reassurance as to where they will stand. I don't trust Leo, at all."

As Caius continued delegating, Lidia slid her hand in mine.

I have many good friends. Surely, one of them will know something. We'll find her, Aro. I promise.

Her smile was heartbreakingly kind. I squeezed her hand gently in response.

Two days later, Marcus and I traveled to Lucca. Unlike past times, Amaranta greeted us.

"Where is Amadeus?" I asked her conversationally, once we had exchanged pleasantries.

Amaranta tensed for the briefest of moments. "He is sending a message to another coven," she responded stiffly and did not speak again.

I caught Marcus' eye. A brush against his palm revealed his suspicions.

Leo and Sofia waited in the Great Hall, but they were not alone. Two young vampires stood to each side, their manner reminiscent of guards.

"Aro! And Marcus too. What brings you here, old friends?" Leo was cheerful, his manner inviting. But I did not miss the tightening of his eyes, already cold, an unholy red shade.

Something about his eyes was oddly familiar.

"I'm afraid it's nothing good, my friend." Marcus was grave.

"Has something occurred?" Leo's eyes widened in false sincerity.

"Not yet. But we have credible sources warning of a—"

As Marcus spoke, I observed Leo. A tiny smirk shaped his mouth.

I realized who he reminded me of. His character was reminiscent of Piero.

"Leo, where is Amadeus?" I interrupted Marcus. Amaranta froze. A flicker of something spasmed across Sofia's face—regret? Pain?

The long lines of Leo's body grew hard and cold. "Why do you ask?" he intoned carefully.

I shrugged. "I simply wondered as he was the one to escort us before."

"He favored nomadic life. If I see him again, I will let you know you asked for him." Leo nodded his head slightly, and turned to Marcus. "You were saying…?"

I did not need to look at Marcus to know he also realized there was something wrong.

"We wished to verify our alliance still stood. We've heard of a coven seemingly wishing to take Volterra for themselves. While we are confident we would be able to defeat them easily, we would feel more comfortable knowing we still had a friend to rely upon," Marcus lied smoothly.

"Why of course, Marcus!" Leo smiled. "You need but to ask. Tell me, which coven is this?"

"We're not aware of any name for them. Nomadic. Perhaps Amadeus may know of them."

"I will seek him out. Is that all?"

"It is. Thank you for listening."

Leo stood respectfully to watch us leave. I needed to find some way to touch him and I remembered the figurine I still carried with me.

"Please accept this small token as a sign of our thanks." I stepped toward him, pulling out the bull. The two strange vampires came closer. Keeping a close watch on them, I set the figurine on his palm, my fingertips barely grazing his skin. I allowed his new Story to filter its way into my previous records as I smiled blithely. Marcus nodded to the group as we turned to leave.

Piero had promised him Volterra if he sided against us. He was of no use as an ally. He promised Piero to contact the other Etruscan covens and sway them against us. Amadeus spoke against the plan as we had done nothing to warrant such treatment. Leo had no need for Volterra, he had argued. As a proof of his commitment, Leo had calmly strode over to Amadeus and killed him before Piero, Amaranta and Sofia. Pleased, Piero had left two guards, vampire mercenaries, to protect him and serve as messengers between them.

I wanted to kill him. When we returned to Volterra, I narrated the story to Marcus, Lidia, Caius and Adelina.

After I finished, Caius shook his head slowly. "We also failed. None of the Etruscan covens is willing to risk their security."

"Then there won't be a single coven to come to our aid," I snarled, furious. Marcus bowed his head. For the first time, his face reflected utter hopelessness.


	18. Persephone

_The King was in his counting house,    
Counting out his money;    
The Queen was in the parlor   
Eating bread and honey.    
The maid was in the garden,    
Hanging out the clothes.    
Along there came a big black bird   
And snipped off her nose!_

* * *

A somber atmosphere descended over the palazzo.

Marcus maintained a paranoid watch over Volterra. Lidia looked after him each time he left to roam the city, but did not follow. She knew him—his very mood—better than she knew herself. He would want to be alone. She would bow her glorious head hopelessly.

Caius, meanwhile, became even more irascible than normal. He reached such an extreme that even Adelina could not stand him. Her mood wasn't much better than his, snapping at anyone who dared even look at her wrong.

I varied between a despondency that sapped me of any willpower and a nervous energy that had me pacing from room to room. We awaited a response from Lidia's numerous acquaintances, but did not hope.

It was on a slow day like any other when the door slammed open.

"Aro!" I turned at the sound of my name. Marcus sprinted toward me.

"What is it? I frowned. His face was too anxious for my comfort. Marcus held out his hand, palm facing upward.

_A stroll through the city. A careful watch over its perimeter. A strange but familiar scent in the breeze. Dark curls disappearing around a large tree. A sense of foreboding._

I had to follow her.

"_I don't mean you harm." Anna clutched at the mantle clasped at her neck, her knuckles white. "I need to speak to Aro."_

_No deceit showed in the cord of her relationship to Marcus, one almost as opaque as that of complete strangers._

"_Don't worry. I'll find him and bring him here."_

Before I could see the entire memory, I was running.

"Aro, wait!" Marcus called. I ignored him. Anna was back. She had returned. My glee, however, was tainted by the memory I had seen. I could not forget the faint tremble in the hands that clutched her mantle like a lifeline, or the glimmer of fear in her eyes.

She was just outside the wall, precisely where Marcus had left her. She did not appear to have moved at all. The breeze had died so not even a single strand of her hair swayed out of place.

"Anna! Anna, darling, what is happening?" I reached to pull her against me. She hastily stepped out of my way.

"Don't," she commanded.

"Love, what's wrong?' I tried to move closer, but she promptly jerked back

"Don't call me 'love'," she snapped. "Listen to me." She glared at me when I tried to speak again. "I came to put an end to our charade. We cannot maintain it any longer."

I reeled back as if from a physical blow. "What happened? Did Piero realize—?" Hatred infused my dead veins as I wondered if he could have hurt her.

"No, he doesn't know." She shook her head quickly, her arms wrapped tightly around her torso.

"Then why—?"

"You need to leave." Her gaze seized mine. "You all do." She nodded to Marcus behind me; I hadn't realized that he had followed. "You need to take what you need and run as far away from here as you can. You must trust me," she continued before I could argue.

"But why do we need to leave?" Marcus' voice was tranquil, his eyes intently trying to calm her.

Anna closed her eyes briefly. When she opened them, they were as distant as the stars. Her face became impassive. I could not read her anymore. "I'm sorry, but I can't divulge that."

"Then we won't leave," I replied stubbornly. "This is our home. Without a good reason, we won't abandon it."

"My warning counts as nothing?"

"You won't tell us why you're warning us!" I was half-crazed at not being able to touch her.

"Anna," Marcus interjected peacefully, "surely you can see why we would have trouble accepting a need to flee when we do not know what that need is."

"I know," she sighed. "But I cannot speak further. _Cannot_," she emphasized. "Aro, please, I know how insane this sounds and I know you have no reason to trust me, but please."

"No," I replied shortly.

Her face twisted into a harsh grimace. At any other time it would have been amusing. "You are infuriating!" she half-screamed.

"And you are hysterical," I observed dryly. Her shoulders quivered in anger,

"Gods! You—you—"

"I—I, what? Can't think of anymore epithets, sweetheart?" I taunted. In a childish fit of rage, I wanted her to suffer as much as I had when she had simply vanished.

Anna bit her lower lip to avoid a retort. She turned to Marcus. "This is your final answer then?" Her voice was hard as ice.

Marcus nodded once. Anna's head bowed in response, her hands clenched into tight fists at her side. Her shoulders shook.

"I've done what I can." Her voice was so quiet I almost missed her words. When she glanced up, it was not that strange fear I saw, but pain. A sharp pain. "May the gods look kindly upon you then," she whispered. This time, she stepped toward me.

Her kiss was as passionate as the first we shared, but there was an edge to it I did not recognize until I gleaned the thought that came with it.

_Goodbye._

The language I speak accounts for the distinction between temporary and permanent farewells. Anna spoke the term signifying a _permanent _separation.

The Story that rushed forward made me stumble in surprise. Anna seized my moment's pause to run and disappear amongst the trees.

"Anna!" I yelled. I began to run after her, but Marcus grabbed onto my arm.

"Wait! You can't go after her!" Marcus held on tighter as I tried to fight him off.

"Piero is finally moving," I snarled. "A Persian contingent awaits his orders. I'm saving her!" I threw him off me.

"She's been using you, Aro! Just as you have been using her. She doesn't love you."

"I'm well aware of that," I snapped.

"Are you?" Marcus replied coldly. "Sometimes, I wonder if you do."

I turned my vision from the forest long enough to glare at his retreating form.

It turns out I was mistaken in thinking that no coven would dare to aid us. Lidia and her vast net of friends and allies did indeed come to our rescue.

The Latins, unlike the Etruscans, were brash, impulsive and eager for a fight. Long had they eyed the rich lands of the Etruscans, but been unable to take them from the already established covens. A chance to defeat a Persian contingent and secure some lands for themselves was the realization of a dream. Teaming up with an Etruscan coven was simply a part of the bargain.

We had our allies. Piero had returned. All that was needed was the spark.

I walked out of Volterra, traveling without destination. I needed to escape Marcus' looks, Lidia's worry, Caius' irritation and Adelina's scorn. I smiled bitterly. I could barely stand my coven. I wanted someone else.

I looked up when the lighting changed. I was in the copse of trees shielding Anna's pond from view. How ironic that I would be led here. I turned my back on the pond, facing the widening river.

The last vestiges of fall were dying with each falling leaf. Demeter had lost her daughter yet again.

For a moment I considered Persephone, fresh as spring. Did she despise Hades for tying her to him? For taking her away from her old life, those empty joys?

Or had she, by some miracle, come to care for him, this miserable God of the Dead? Could Persephone, beautiful and bright and teasing as spring, love Hades?

_Why am I thinking of a love story?_ I wondered, selecting a smooth stone from the ground and skipping it over the surface of the river. I picked up another stone and threw it, shattering the water's smooth surface.

Caius scoffed at the Latins' near-childish eagerness for war, but I understood them. I burned for a fight, an almost physical ache. Piero had destroyed my family; I never saw my daughter again. Now, he withheld Anna from me as his most precious possession. Despite her hatred of him, she remained loyal. She suspected, as I did, that it was the result of some ability, but she did not know the specifics. Therefore, neither did I. What could he possibly do that tied someone who despised him so to him? And more importantly, how could I draw him out of Belverde? The longer we waited, the more forces he would amass. A direct attack on the citadel was suicide. But what would make him abandon safety without question?

I grinned. Anna. Of course, _Anna_ would draw him out. Anna was the only thing he wouldn't bear to lose, especially to me. But she refused to be near me, refused to endanger me even as she refused to help me. I would have to force her to stand me again… but I could enjoy that.

I shook my head quickly. No, I needed to focus on how to_ find_ her, not seduce her. She wouldn't leave Belverde; I knew that from her thoughts. How could I find her?

_Will you storm the citadel, kidnap her and bring her here?_

I smirked. Marcus did had his moments of brilliancy. If I succeeded, it would be a terrible blow to Piero's ego. I couldn't stifle my laugh as I imagined his face when he realized I had stolen Anna from his very grasp.


	19. The Trigger

_All around the mulberry bush   
The monkey chased the weasel.    
The monkey thought 'twas all in fun.    
Pop! goes the weasel._

_

* * *

_

With Anna's Story as a guide, breaking into Belverde proved so easy, it was almost…_boring_. I kept to the roof, in an effort to prevent discovery. From my vantage point, I quickly detected the distinct aroma of Anna's scent as it emanated from the bath chambers.

Anna lounged against the tiled wall of a shallow pool. Her eyes were closed and her head leaned back. A human girl cradled the strands of her wet hair as if they were gold. She carefully untangled and oiled Anna's hair, bringing forth a healthy shine. Anna opened her eyes to smile at her.

I recognized the girl from Anna's memories. Renata, her youngest child. A timid girl who followed Anna's footsteps like a puppy.

This would be too easy. I dropped through the window.

"Aro!" Anna gasped, standing abruptly and allowing me a glorious view. Her look turned furious as she saw where my gaze was trained. A pale hand shot out and seized a simple cotton robe to cover herself. In the time she did this, I lurched forward and snatched Renata from her immobile position.

Where before her look had been simply enraged, it turned deadly. Her voice was an icy dagger as she snarled, "Let my daughter go."

"Not unless you come with me," I answered threateningly. The child's thoughts were panicked, acute with terror as I dipped my mouth close to her fragile neck. A faint tremble racked Anna's slender frame.

"Let her go or I _will _kill you." Anna's threat was perfectly understandable through her clenched teeth. A whimper slipped through Renata's lips and Anna's eyes darkened. They flickered momentarily to Renata and I suddenly felt the child begin to pull free. I held tighter. Anna's lips pulled away from her teeth.

Too fast and too low for the human girl to understand, I whispered, "I'm going to tell you the truth. I don't mean to harm Renata and I'm not trying to hurt you. But I need to kidnap you in order to trigger Piero into attacking. It's the only way to start the war. In order to make it seem like you came unwillingly and have not betrayed him, I'm taking this child as a hostage. You will now decide—audibly, please—that you will do as I say to keep me from hurting the girl, you will tense as if you're being bound—please exaggerate the motions—I will grab you and run off with you and the girl will be left to tell Piero what has happened."

Anna blinked. "Did you ingest laurel when you were turned?"

"Please be serious, Anna." I didn't reflect on the hypocrisy of the statement. "I'm doing this for you. I know more about others than I should; you know this better than most. And that knowledge tells me that Piero is manipulating you. I'm removing you from danger. The reason for the deception is to secure the safety of your children until they can be taken from here," I added when I saw Anna's eyes flicker in worry toward Renata's figure bound in my arms.

Anna shook her head briefly. "How can you know that? How can I believe you?"

"You must trust me." I repeated her words. "…Angerona."

At the sound of her human name, Anna swayed in shock, and if she could have turned any paler, she would have. "How…?" she breathed.

"Angerona, my darling Anna, please trust me." I allowed a raw edge to creep into my voice to make it ring with honesty.

Anna bit her lower lip and turned to look at Renata. "If anything happens to my child," she muttered darkly, "I will burn your ashes." Then, she adopted a rigid pose as if she had been bound hand and foot. Hiding a triumphant smile, I released Renata, and she stumbled her way to her adoptive mother, crying. However, I beat her to Anna, and by the time Renata reached the spot where Anna had been standing, I had grabbed Anna and slung her over my shoulder before swiftly climbing through the window.

As I jumped off the roof and slipped into the darkness the trees provided, I heard Renata scream for help. I hastened my pace, unwilling to remain any longer within Belverde.

"I hope you're caught," Anna muttered tonelessly. In response, I kissed her hip through the thin fabric. I heard a faint groan and grinned maniacally in response. I could have cared less if I had been caught right then. I held Anna in my arms, an arm encircling her slender waist. Her thoughts wavered between worry and the desire to tear my head off, but she had followed my plan. She preferred me to Piero. I was giddy.

"Would you mind fully explaining your 'brilliant' plan _before_ we reach Volterra?" Anger simmered under Anna's conversational tone.

"Would you mind if I wait until we are safe within my city?"

"Yes," she replied bluntly.

"Well, you will simply have to wait."

"You—" she began furiously.

"Would you feel better if I told you what my ability is?"

Her righteous anger died a sudden death. She started in interest.

"No lies?" she asked quietly, straining her neck to look at me.

I shifted her position in response. I slid an arm underneath her knees and moved the other to support her back. Anna's hands rose automatically to tie around my neck.

"Think of something," I told her.

"What?" She blinked.

"A sentence. A phrase."

She raised an eyebrow. _You're a fool._

I controlled the urge to roll my eyes. "Something that I couldn't possibly guess."

Her thoughts raced; she was guessing—rightly—what my ability involved. However, she complied.

_You look like the wrong end of a dog._

"I happen to know, by credible authority, that I do not look like the wrong end of a dog. That would be Caius."

Anna's mouth opened slightly, her eyes stared, wondering.

"How?" she gasped.

"When I touch someone, I receive what I call their Story—every thought the person has ever had. I'm limited, though. I can only hear thoughts through physical contact."

Anna was quiet. She unclasped her hands from my neck and allowed them to drop into her lap. I brushed the pad of my thumb in gentle circles over her arm. Her thoughts varied between victory as she had rightly suspected my ability and worry as to how much I knew about her.

"I know everything," I told her softly but unapologetically. "Including your doubts about Piero."

Anna's eyes searched mine. "Do you know what he does?"

"I'm afraid not." I shook my head solemnly. Anna's piercing gaze then invaded my mind, searching. I felt it from her point of view, finding the entry point through my eyes, weaving through the tangle of desires, finding the thickest thread of them all and tugging on it ever so slightly. Immediately, a strong desire to turn around and hunt down Piero and dismember him with my bare hands seized me.

Anna arched an eyebrow.

"Your greatest desire is to destroy him and you haven't bothered to touch him yet?"

"I've been too busy being manipulated into touching someone else."

"Idiot," she concluded.

Anna was silent the rest of the way to Volterra. Her mind, however, was an entirely different matter. She turned over what I'd said and considered it a thousand different ways. Literally. Her musings were constantly interrupted by fear for the little girl we had left behind. She still hadn't spoken a word when my city finally came into view.

"Welcome to Volterra." I smiled. Anna returned it hesitantly. A new fear sparked in her mind: what would my coven do to her. I set her on her feet, holding her to me for a brief moment. I brushed a kiss against her forehead. Holding her hand, I led the way to the palazzo. I headed instinctively for the Great Hall where I knew my coven would be assembled. Squeezing her hand and tucking an errant strand of hair behind her ear, I left Anna behind one side of the double door. When I stepped inside, Adelina was, surprisingly, the first to assault me.

"Where have you been?" she questioned, eyes narrowed accusingly. I ignored her and turned to Marcus, my face impassive.

I've always had an excellent poker face. That's probably why Caius never wishes to play that particular game against me. Even Felix tired of it after the first hundred or so games.

"You are a brilliant man," I complimented. I then faced Caius. "And I have found your trigger."

Both looked bewildered by my cryptic words.

"What are you blabbering about?" Caius shot.

I controlled the twitch itching to turn the corners of my lips upward. I turned slowly, savoring the moment, and reached out to open the second door.

Yes, I have a weakness for grand entrances. That, and the look on my family's face when they saw Anna framed against the door was absolutely priceless.

"Brothers, I would like to introduce you to Anna, the Helen to our Trojan War."


	20. Disintermediation

_Birds of a feather flock together,  
And so will pigs and swine;  
Rats and mice will have their choice,  
And so I will have mine._

* * *

After the initial shock, Lidia regained the power of speech first.

"Anna?" She stood gracefully, flitting over to Anna's side in an instant. "Aro has always had a barbarous clothing taste. You must feel so uncomfortable in only this, dear. Come with me; I'll find you a dress."

And without further ado, she drew Anna close to her as if they were lifelong friends and lead her out of the room. Anna shot a startled look at me, but I could only nod in reassurance.

If anyone had a capacity for stunning others into silence greater than mine, it was Lidia. Ethereal looks aside.

After I regained some measure of control over my ability to reason, I appreciated Lidia's quick thinking. Although I had no doubt that Lidia had snatched Anna away in order to clothe her properly (Lidia could not stand the sight of anyone wearing what she deemed "rags"— meaning anything that was not in fine taste or even finer quality), she had stolen Anna away so that Anna would not be witness to—or victim of—the incoming storm of an argument.

I didn't have to wait long for it. Caius never disappoints.

"You imbecile!" That was actually the least he called me. The rest I've deemed much too crude to repeat in your presence. I'm afraid some censoring is necessary for the sake of being politically correct.

"You—you—" After several names and various adjectives shouted in all the languages he knew, Caius finally drew a blank.

"May I speak now?" I asked with faux innocence.

Caius sputtered in his fury.

Marcus stepped forward and squeezed Caius' shoulders. "Calm, brother. Let me speak to him." Marcus turned to face me and said dryly, "You are an idiot."

"Try asinine toerag, beastly piece of filth, mindless pond scum and you still haven't scratched the surface of his stupidity," Adelina muttered to no one in particular.

"Yes, yes, we've all been assured of the fact multiple times." I waved away Marcus' statement and ignored Adelina's.

"You do realize that you have damned us?" Marcus raised an eyebrow.

"Not if we send word quickly to the Latins and use them as pawns," I hinted. "Then I've only damned the majority of _them_."

"Contacting them will take time—"

"Then I suggest you begin," I interrupted. "Piero must know already I've taken Anna. Renata's screams could be heard outside the city walls."

"You left witnesses?" Caius hissed, his eyes darkening further.

"Well, of course. How else could I assure that Piero knew without any doubt that I, Aro Deofilion, the man he turned, took his precious Anna?"

If Caius could have turned red with rage, he would have rivaled Lidia's hair color.

"Now, if you will excuse me," I continued cheerfully, "I must see to my hostage's needs."

"Your 'hostage' could try to kill us from here. She probably knows how to get in. How do we ensure she does not try to escape, or even hurt us?" Adelina snapped.

"Oh, she'll be a good girl. Just ask Marcus." I motioned to him. "Will she betray us?"

Marcus remained silent for a long time. "No," he finally said. "Whatever she's thinking only Aro knows. But she has no ill wish toward us. There is only fear…and hope."

"Hope?" Caius repeated disbelievingly. I escaped while he was distracted and sought out my two favorite women. I found them in Lidia's bedroom where Lidia had seated Anna on the lectus and was plaiting her long hair. Anna held very still, now dressed in a beautiful blue robe, a silver girdle encircling her waist. As Lidia weaved silver ribbons into Anna's dark hair, she chattered about silly, safe subjects, mainly me.

"—I simply couldn't stand for it. This little upstart believing himself more clever than me? He never dared cross me after that beating. Or, at least not in the same way. I tell you I will never forget the way all of his clothing simply ripped apart at once, leaving him stark naked in the middle of the palazzo…"

Anna choked out a laugh. Although still tense, she was visibly more relaxed, her ruby eyes glinting mischievously as she learned embarrassing stories about me. Indignant, I was prepared to interrupt when Lidia finished Anna's plait and came around to sit beside her, taking both of Anna's hands in hers.

"Would you mind if I asked you a personal question?"

Anna tensed again, her face turning smooth as marble.

"You may. But I may not answer," she responded slowly.

Lidia laughed her silvery laugh. "I'm starting to see why Aro likes you," she teased. Her voice turned serious as she continued. "Why are you not resisting?"

"Pardon?" Anna blinked.

"Aro did not bring you here against your will. You are not trying to return. Why?"

Anna looked away. "I don't know," she whispered after a moment. "Just…a feeling. A presentiment. That this is…right." She stumbled slightly on her words, seeking the correct ones.

Lidia smiled kindly. "I hope it is. Aro would be heartbroken if he lost you."

Anna's eyes flickered to Lidia's face, but she said nothing.

I cleared my throat. Anna started, but Lidia simply turned around, frowning. "Eavesdropping is very discourteous, you know." She raised an eyebrow—and up I went too.

Anna gasped.

"And levitating others without permission or warning is acceptable?" I crossed my arms before my chest as my head slowly turned to face the floor.

"It's preferable." Lidia smiled widely—and dropped me. Luckily, she did not restrain my movement so I was able to quickly flip right side up and land on my feet.

Anna leaned ever so slightly away from Lidia.

"You are finished." Lidia smiled at Anna. "And you look beautiful. I'll take this as my leave." She squeezed Anna's hand very briefly and she floated away.

Anna watched her go and sighed. "Well?"

I knew what she was asking. "They like you."

Anna scoffed. "And what happens now?"

"We wait." I shrugged nonchalantly. Anna shook her head, turning her gaze onto the darkened sky.

As it turned out, we did not have to wait long. Hearing a slight commotion, I left Anna in Lidia's room and walked out to the Great Hall. Livius had arrived on our doorstep. I was surprised when I saw him; he looked quite pleased with something.

"Oh, you must be an idiot, Aro," he cackled. Yes, he was cackling. It wasn't a pretty sound. "To be rude and not pay Lord Piero the respect he deserves was nearly intolerable. But to take his mate, oh ho, you just secured your own death!"

"I bid you remember that you are inside our city now," Marcus interrupted, his face and tone dark. "We do not take kindly to threats nor insults here."

Livius preened with arrogance. "Well, you will find that your preferences will have to change. Lord Piero _demands_ the safe return of Lady Anna along with Aro Deofilion's ashes. In return, he promises to not raze your city to the ground."

"And under what authority does he make these demands?" Caius raised an eyebrow dryly, if such an action can even be considered "dry."

"Under his own. That of the new King of Italy."

There was a pregnant pause.

Despite our mostly ("mostly" being in the case of Caius and his mate) fine upbringing, my coven couldn't control the sudden onslaught of smirks and snickers.

"He's to unite Etruria, Latium, Sabini and the rest?" Caius laughed derisively. "There is not a man alive capable of uniting the whole of Italy under one rule. He is insane."

"You will not speak ill of Lord Piero," Livius intoned darkly.

"Ah, yes, of course. We would not wish to infuriate the almighty King of Italy and risk him tossing the Umbrians at us." I have to admit, when not aimed at me, Adelina's depths of scorn are inspired.

Livius looked just as furious as Caius had looked earlier. Except he was even uglier, if you can believe it.

"Livius," Marcus addressed him. "Send your master this message. We do not respond to threats. If he wants something from us, he will have to come here and get it himself."

"A no?" Livius asked and he sounded utterly shocked.

"Mmhmm," Caius glared.

I caught Adelina's eyes. She grinned viciously and stepped toward a torch a lamp hanging on a wall.

"Actually, if I may interrupt, I have a better message to send." I stepped forward, smiling at Livius. Adelina then swung the lamp. It shattered upon contact with his body and the oil poured over his hair and clothing, catching flame. He screamed, turning around desperately and Adelina caught his eyes. He went deathly still and with a few deft movements I strode calmly forward, avoiding the flames on his burning body to dismember him. Adelina grabbed another lamp, which she tossed on the pieces of his body, allowing the pyre to grow.

"Who would have guessed? The rat makes for good incense." Adelina nodded her head approvingly.

Marcus shook his head, sighing. "Well, I suppose that is one way of sending a message."


	21. A Sailor and a Queen

_Three wise men of Gotham   
Went to sea in a bowl;    
If the bowl had been stronger,    
My song would have been longer._

* * *

I watched as sparse, valiant red streams stabbed through the encroaching inky darkness, struggling to stay afloat amidst a dark wave growing deeper. However, no matter their courage, the blackness won—if for a few hours.

I had spent more than five hundred years on Earth and something as simple as a sunset could still affect me profoundly. I suppose it is the eternal paradox: beauty in its brevity, swallowed by darkness to rise and be swallowed again.

Time seems to have driven beauty away from the spoken word—few languages now lend themselves to the poetry of my native tongues.

That day—that sole, fateful day, Anna silently glided toward where I stood on the balcony of my chambers, her eyes turning to face the dying sun. "Are you ready?"

"Yes," I answered, not a moment's hesitation, and took her palm in mine.

_Will you kill him?_

"Yes." Again, I did not hesitate my response. I had been sure of this course of action—this final piece of my revenge—for a very long time. I kissed her knuckles gently, my eyes leaving the dying light of the sunset for a moment to gaze at the woman for whom I was willing to risk everything.

Anna remained silent and unmoving. Her gaze was penetrating and seemed to burn right to my very core.

I heard the rustle of Lidia's gown before she floated into the room. In her arms, she held an odd bundle of clothes, which she dropped onto a lectus inside my chamber. "Aro, Marcus needs you."

"I'll be there," I said. She smiled briefly and exited after a moment.

Anna's hand slid from my grasp and she reached up to my chin, turning my face to her. "Return to me," she whispered chillingly, "or don't return at all."

Before I could react, she turned away from me. She suddenly reminded me of a statue of Lethe, the dark blue of her gown flowing around her like water.

I could read her desire for solitude in the cold, hard lines of her body. I left her to see what Marcus wanted.

When I found Marcus on the terrace, he and Caius were deep in discussion with the Latin leaders, twin brothers named Romulus and Remus. Romulus was more battle inclined than his brother, but Remus was the more intelligent of the two. Their combined abilities had allowed them to keep control of a city that I had believed to be, well, uncontrollable.

"…and the Greeks?" Remus was asking when I walked in.

"The Spartans are at the head of their defense," Caius explained, drawing lines in a plot of sand. "Nikomachos is leading the vampires there, Leonidas the humans. The Persians are arrogant; Xerxes' father lost Greece once and his son now wishes to do what his father failed to do. Shahab has manipulated the son's desires; he now uses Xerxes' human army to seize the food source."

"And thus seize control of the vampires," Remus concluded, nodding understandingly.

"Exactly."

"And you are certain these Greeks will stop the Persian lines?" Romulus scoffed.

"I have great respect for Sparta and Nikomachos," said Caius. "Their children are trained from infancy in the way of battle. Their men and women are born to, raised in, live in and die for the art of war. I faced Nikomachos in battle once; his strategy is perfect. He can consider all possibilities, plans against anything that can occur. His ability is such it could be called a _seeing_ ability. He_ cannot_ lose."

I had to hide a smile. Caius sounded almost enamored with the notorious Greek warlord. Then, I had to stifle a snicker as I imagined what his face would look like if he learned that Nikomachos' original name was Iason. And Iason was the first of Anna's children.

Romulus still looked unconvinced, but then changed the subject. "Our own defenses?"

"We will focus on a strong attack. Belverde's offense and defense relies heavily on Persian help. They would have waited, but Aro's presumptuous actions," Caius glared out of the corner of his eye at me, "precipitated their plans. Which, I suppose, is actually beneficial for us. With the Greeks guarding land and sea routes, they will not arrive until too late—if at all."

Remus and Romulus turned to me. "So you're the man that stole the witch?" Romulus grinned. "My respects."

"Yes," Caius sounded distinctly annoyed. "Anna will provide the leverage we need to secure the battle. Piero will not risk her safety."

"When do we begin?" Remus asked.

"When the sun sets completely, under cover of darkness," Marcus answered him. The brothers glanced out the tall windows at the very last moments of daylight. By that time, I had finally gotten close enough to the both of them that it was all too easy to reach out for a scroll that Adelina was holding and accidentally graze them.

Apparently, the Latin tradition of frequent leadership change remained in style. If Remus did not fall to Belverde, Romulus would kill him and make it seem like an accident. Romulus would stand no threat to his power, not even his own sibling.

I nodded briefly to Marcus, assuring him that the brothers would not betray us and excused myself aloud. "I do apologize, but I must return to watch over our newest guest."

I quickly left the terrace and walked up the steps, my mind lost in battle plans. "Anna," I called as I stepped into the room.

It was empty.

"Anna?" I caught a trace of her scent on the window and then…nothing. She had jumped and was masking her scent so that I could not follow.

Cursing, I wheeled around and sprinted from my chamber. I stumbled into Lidia downstairs, who was watching the Latins assembled within the city. She did not trust them not to attack the humans.

"Anna is gone," I hissed, grabbing her upper arm.

"What?" Her burgundy eyes widened.

"We need to find her. Come with me." I began pulling her with me. She wrenched free.

"We can't," she said.

"What do you mean we _can't_?" I snarled.

"We can't," she repeated. I suddenly felt my body grow still. Furious, I was trapped and unable to do anything as she manipulated my body to walk alongside her. She called for Marcus.

"What is it, love?" Marcus questioned, appearing instantly.

"Anna has fled."

"I expected it." He sighed after a moment.

"You _expected_ it?" I snapped, my gaze turning to him sharply.

"She loves you, Aro," he said softly.

To understand the impact of the statement, you must know a little about our native tongues first.

The ancient Greeks, among other cultures, differentiated between the different kinds of love. The first was _philia_. It symbolized the love one felt for one's community, for one's family. Hence your _filial_ love.

The second kind of love was _eros_. It evokes passion, sensual yearning, a deep desire. While not purely erotic, only the word eroticism can convey the ardor of this love.

Finally, there was _agap__ē__,_ a word that has survived to modern time. This was the word reserved for what you so loosely term as "love": self-sacrifice to another, to hold him or her in higher regard than you and to give half of you with only the vain hope that he or she would give half of themselves to you.

It was this last word the one Marcus used, who favored Greek over Etruscan. It was this last word what made me grow stiller than Lidia's bonds could ever hold me. Somehow, for some reason I could not comprehend, Anna's feelings had evolved. The passion of her _eros_ had not been lost, but the fires were driven by a different emotion, one that sought to save me even at her own cost.

And she didn't even know it yet. It was why I didn't realize it whenever I gleaned her Story. She was not aware of the change yet. I knew she looked upon me with a softened visage, a more empathetic self, but it was not love I saw because there was no thought of love in her mind.

However, it was not so for Marcus who could view the subtle change of emotions in the ties between people. When he held out his hand to me, I saw the dazzling white threads, impossibly fragile-looking, that shot through the slender cord tying Anna to me.

White. The color of mates.

I finally understood. She had run from me to keep me from harm.

"She'll be heading to Piero. She could be in danger," I said frantically. "We need to go after her."

"We will proceed as planned," Marcus responded.

"Anna—"

"Is capable of caring for herself," Marcus concluded firmly. "After all, if she were docile or needy she would never have attracted you, would she?"

"What about the Latins?" Lidia asked softly. "The one reason they do not object now is because they believe we still have Anna."

"That's why we have you, isn't it?" Marcus smiled at her mischievously, the glint of secret plans in his eyes.

Minutes later, we set out from Volterra. Lidia and I stood on either side of a hooded and cloaked figure. It was the same size and shape as Anna and moved as Anna. However, inside the clothing was nothing but air.

With us was half the Latin contingent, led by Remus. Romulus had been left behind with Caius and Adelina to protect our rear from Leo. Leo had insulted Adelina on more than one occasion and both she and Caius had yearned for the moment to "return the favor." If I hadn't been so overcome with rage at Piero, I might have pitied Leo.

Might.

We paused some distance away from Belverde in a wide plain with sparse shrubbery. The night was clear and the wind blew toward us, a favorable omen. We stood silently while I uncomfortably tugged at the soldier's uniform I wore beneath my cloak.

We did not have to wait long.

Belverde's newborn army was assembled on the crest before their city, spanning out across the plain in sparse numbers. At their head, Piero and Leo conferred quietly. Piero did not look like Anna had contacted him.

"Most of the newborns follow Amaranta." Marcus observed the area. "We take out Leo and Amaranta and the army will flee. Then, we only have Piero's guard to wary of."

"How many?" Caius asked briskly.

"Eight."

Romulus grinned. "My brother and I can handle some miserable guards."

"Good. Because you will most certainly have to." Caius' eyes narrowed slightly. I recognized that look. It was the one that appeared every time he was about to slaughter me at chess. I cringed slightly. Even though it meant he was about to achieve certain victory, it still managed to make his face even less attractive. Which is no small feat, mind you.

Caius straightened and turned toward the horizon. "Pick your best fighters. Marcus, signal who the guard members are. Lidia and Adelina, you will target Amaranta. Aro—"

"Marcus, the ones loyal to Anna, where are they?"

Marcus appeared surprised at my question. "There are some in the back whose loyalty isn't to any of the assembled."

I stepped closer. Setting my hand on his shoulder, I heard his unvoiced question.

_Who are they?_

"Anna's children. Where are their ties pointing?"

_Belverde_.

"I'll take Anna and use her to turn them against Piero," I announced.

"You can control her?" Remus' eyes flickered from me to the cloaked and silent figure behind me.

"I have a special ability." I smirked. "Lidia?"

I could almost visualize all the insults Caius was throwing at me from inside his mind. "Fine," he spat. "Adelina, Amaranta. Marcus and I will target Leo. Romulus, two of your fighters against Sophia. Use some of your weakest as pawns to determine any special abilities the guard may have."

As he spoke, Lidia danced toward me. "Anna" followed. As we passed Marcus, he grabbed my hand roughly.

_Keep her safe or I'll kill you_.

I lowered my chin a fraction of a centimeter in the tiniest of nods.

As soon as we were out of earshot (and out of sight so that she no longer had to manipulate the cloak), Lidia looped her fingers around my hand.

_Where are we going?_

"Belverde. I know a secret entrance."

_And she's there?_

"Yes. She went back for her child."

Lidia stopped so abruptly she almost jerked my hand out of its socket. "Her _child_?" Lidia looked flabbergasted.

I shushed her and continued forward, assuring her that answers would come later.

The city was empty of vampires, though the scent still lingered. I found the thread of Anna's fragrance near the edge of the street and followed it. Silently entering the palazzo, we ran, our way unhindered. Lidia grabbed my hand again.

_This is too easy._

I made a noncommittal grunt. The assessment worried me slightly.

Finally reaching Anna's chamber inside the antiquated palazzo, I peered inside. Nothing. No, not quite nothing. A whimper issued from under the bed. Creeping toward, I found Anna's child Renata curled in a tight ball, weeping quietly.

"Renata! Where's Anna?"

The little girl shrieked when she saw me and tried to scramble away. I grabbed her arm and again I suffered a faint feeling of vertigo before Renata pulled free. But I already had her memories. And I knew the trap.

"Looking for something?"

I turned at the sound of the voice I hated more than any one on this earth. Piero's grin was malicious. His hands were wrapped around Anna, restraining her to him, and four of his guards flanked him.

Lidia snarled and settled into a crouch, ready to spring. I grabbed her arm.

"Do not interfere."

Lidia rolled her eyes, biting back her growl. "I know you want nothing more than to be a hero and I know it's difficult for you to not be stupid, but recklessness is not becoming."

"It's not recklessness. I just don't want your lover playing ball with my head later today."

"It's the least you deserve," she muttered.

Piero and Anna stared at us as if we had grown second heads. Well, Piero did. The corners of Anna's lips twitched despite her fearful look.

"Amusing." Piero raised an eyebrow once we finished our little spat. "But I'm afraid, he's right, my dear. This is between the two of us."

Lidia rolled her eyes again. "Men," she scoffed. "I suppose I'll be tearing your guards' heads off now, won't I?"

Piero smirked. "You can try."

A disk flew forward, neatly slicing the neck of the guard to Piero's right. The head rolled to the ground. Immediately, a torch levitated out of the standard on the wall and dropped onto the body, the clothing immediately catching flame.

"You were saying?" Lidia cooed sweetly.

Piero seethed with shock and rage, his burgundy eyes almost bugging out of his head.

"Kill her!" Piero bellowed as Anna screamed, "Renata, get out!"

I immediately released Renata's arm, and she scrambled away, fleeing through a side window as the three remaining guards jumped Lidia, or tried to. In a flurry of scarlet hair and black silk, Lidia twisted away from them and single handedly pulled the four-way fight into the adjacent room, leaving me to focus on Piero. He was lithe and fast and had a punch that could bring down a wall. I barely kept away, trying to grasp any patch of naked skin.

He had done something to Anna, I knew. She was acting strangely, even now. Her eyes flickered from Piero to me. She did not react—did not attempt even help. Instead, she hesitated at the edge of the fight. She was afraid. But of what?

I redoubled my attempts to touch Piero, desperate to know what he had done to her.

He was smirking at me, even as we battled. "Do you know what happened to your daughter?"

I tried to ignore his barb, but could not avoid a twinge of curiosity. What was he going to say? I allowed surprise to register on my face.

Piero grinned. "She died, Aro. Horrible, really. Screamed right until the end, calling for a father who had abandoned her. Pitying her, I finally fed from her so that she would no longer suffer."

I froze—I was trapped in the horrible picture he had painted in my mind. Piero lunged forward. His hand brushed my face.

Images, so many images. Years upon years of thoughts. _He_ was the sailor. _He_ was the man who had grown obsessed with Anna's sister. _He_ was the one who turned Anna as a substitute for her long-dead sister.

And I knew why Anna was so afraid. She bore no memory because his special ability lay in suppressing memories. And thus she was afraid of him with no conscious reason why. She did not remember how he locked her in small, dark spaces he had designed to hold vampires, using her phobia of them against her.

"Anna, I know what he's been doing to you!" I yelled triumphantly, clawing once at Piero's ugly face before lunging away.

"What?!" Piero screamed, unsure as to how I had just acquired this information.

"He can repress memories! He's been manipulating your memories to control you!"

"Don't believe him, Anna!" Piero called out as he avoided my lunge. "He's a lunatic!" His eyes betrayed his confidence, however. They were wide and fearful.

"And that's not all. Remember that sailor you tricked when you were ten? He's the one! He's the one who turned you, Anna!"

Anna gaped at Piero and at me. Her eyes were narrowing, as if struggling to recover a memory long gone. Piero ran to her, the battle forgotten, and took her hands in his.

"Don't listen to him, Anna! He's trying to control you!"

"I remember," she whispered. Her voice sounded torn before wonder at her recovered memory and hatred at its content. "I remember your face now. You killed my daughter."

Piero shook his head slowly. "No, Anna, I did not."

"Anna, don't look into his eyes!" I yelled in warning too late. I knew what was happening—I just couldn't stop it. Anna's eyes grew momentarily unfocused and her beautiful face seemed to grow even paler.

"Wh-what's happening? Piero?"

"That monster," Piero pointed emphatically at me, "is obsessed with you and stole you away. When I came to rescue you, he suppressed your memories of him before I could stop him. You won't remember much, but just know I'm here and I love you."

"You filthy—" I strode forward, intent on ripping him to shreds.

"But that doesn't make sense." Anna's brow furrowed. "If he can suppress memories, why would he only target memories of himself instead of memories of you so I wouldn't return to you?"

Even missing half her memories, my Anna remained brilliant.

Piero's look darkened. Growing desperate, he grabbed her head before she could react and locked his gaze with hers. Anna cried out at once.

By the time I lunged forward, a roar tearing my throat, Piero threw Anna at me. She collapsed at my feet, her eyes staring at nothing. I feinted and he drew back. Kneeling by Anna's side, my hands ran over every centimeter of uncovered skin.

Her mind was blank.

I cupped her face, stroked her perfect cheeks, her shaped brow, her marble eyelids.

Not one thought. Not one thread of a memory.

I shook her carefully, then more forcefully. She continued staring ahead, her red eyes too wide on her pale skin.

"Anna," I called. "Anna!"

No response. No movement. No recognition.

"I'd been considering this for a few years," Piero related lazily behind me. "But you probably already know that."

"What did you do to her?" My voice was extremely calm. I continued watching Anna's form, hoping she'd turn around suddenly, laughing. Of course, I knew what he had done. But I wanted to hear him say it.

"You already know." Piero stepped closer. "I erased every memory she has ever had. And with it, I have effectively wiped her mind clean. I will not lose her to you. My only link to Ariadne…she is mine. She had been getting too rebellious lately. I've had to wipe more and more memories to keep her with me. Finally, I erased them all. She can no longer help you and, if you take her, I will never return her memories to her. You'll have a shell of a woman."

"Anna?" I whispered. I was certain I had not imagined it. Anna's eyes had ever so briefly turned toward me. A thought flitted through her mind in a language I did not understand, but I did grasp the tone: fear and confusion.

She then turned to Piero and a different taste flitted through the new thought: anger.

I did not know Anna's native tongue, a language lost a thousand years before my birth. But images did not need to be translated. She knew Piero was the man who had turned her.

I stepped away.

"What are you—?" Piero began to ask, but fell silent when Anna caught his eye. Later, she translated for me what she had said.

"_You want me_." With the simply stated phrase, she unknowingly manipulated his desire for her—and for Ariadne. She intoned three simple words and managed to put Piero to a deathly standstill. Images of Ariadne, Anna's hauntingly beautiful sister, swept through him. He was blindsided and distracted—unable to move, or even speak. It was only too easy to lunge at him, fasten my teeth around his shoulder and, with a strong clench, tear his arm off.

Piero screamed as he stumbled back. "You bastard!" His eyes were widening in fear. "You can't kill me. If you kill me, her memories will never return. She doesn't know you!"

"Then I'll just narrate her Story to her," I snarled and dove for his neck—this time, knowing it would be for the kill.


End file.
